Under Siege
by General Rage
Summary: Jump City is invaded by a terrorist organization and its up to the Titans and a an Army of anti terrorist warriors to beat them back. Edited frequently for spelling and structure. Some romance will be here, Rated T for Violence
1. The Red Dawn comes in the Afternoon

Okay, before we start this story let me just say that this my first attempt ever at a war story of this magnitude. The original characters I have worked with for a very long time, but this is the first time they are actually going to be meeting the Titans. Also they are are the only ones owned by me in this entire story. The Titans are not owned by me, but the Raptors and Mutants are! So If I catch anyone trying to steal them I wll hunt you down and say bad things about you to people.

Here's the quick summary. The Titans are enjoying a relaxing day in Jump City when a bunch of Paratroopers invade. They city is uickly put under seige and martial law is established. The Titans must now stop this invasion with the help of an army of anti-terrorists warriors as they try to calm the situation. But can they get along with this foreign miltary's soldiers and rules of engagement?

Edit: Fixed so it looks nicer

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Under Seige

Chapter 1: The Red Dawn comes in the Afternoon

Jump City, 2007, 12:34 in the afternoon, the local pizza parlour.

When lunch time comes for the residents of a giant T shaped tower they have pretty much two options. The first is let Starfire cook more of her Alien food and second is to go out for Pizza. Pretty much everyone chooses the latter. Starfire never seems to mind as long as she is able to choose any topping she wishes. So in truth everyone wins.

For the Titans things were getting rather quiet in the city. They were pretty much thankful for this. Ever since the defeat of the Brotherhood of Evil and that strange Robot shapeshifting thing about a month ago things weren't really to hectic. Which suited the Titans fine. Especially Beastboy, who needed sometime to get over a certain blonde girl not really wanting to remember him. Cyborg also wanted to wax and work onthe T-Car, so he was pretty much pleased with it too.

Robin, however, had gone into brooding mode. Although this time around he wasn't as obssessive he was still constantly telling the team to prepare for anything. Ever since Beastboy returned in the nick of time to help them defeat the strange robot that attacked them and told about his encounter with the Sladebot, he began thinking about when and where Slade would strike next and he also wished that he had more back-up then just the five original members of the team. He secretly wished that he could have gotten the other Teen heroes to start working more proactively with them. He was kinda hoping for his own version of the Justice League if you will. Unfortunately everyone pretty much went back to their respective world regions and only called once in a while to see how things were hanging. Maybe he'd get another chance at the Reunion they had planned for the anniversary of the defeat of the Brotherhood next year. Robin's thoughts however were soon interuppted by the petty squabble of Cyborg and Beastboy as they argued about their choice of food toppings.

"Meat!"

"Veggie!"

"Meat!"

"Veggie!"

"Meat!"

"Veggie!"

Of course Raven was the first to attempt to shut the up,

"Can't you two just order a half and half?" She screamed

"This isn't about fairness Rae, this is about proving which topping is better." Cyborg told her

"And one day I shall win the debate." Beastboy proclaimed

"The debate so far consits of you two idiots exchanging the same two words over and over again." Raven pointed out "Its the same thing every day. Can't you two just give it up?"

Cyborg and Beastboy thought it over a second and continued their "Debate"

"Meat!"

"Veggie!"

Raven could only moan

""You tried," She thought as she rubbed her forehead "let no one say you didn't try. Face it Raven you are surrounded by imbeciles."

Starfire was too busy to bother herself with any of this. She was desperately trying to decide what would go good with Mustard on her pizza. Would it be the French Fires or the Hot Dogs. She decided to rely on the opnion of the only person that knew more about the topping of the Earth food then she did.

"Robin, may I inquire as to which topping goes best with the mustard?"

"Star, most people on Earth don't really eat Pizza with mustard anyway. So I'm not really sure."

"They do not?" Star said confused "Why do they not? Have they simply never tried?"

"Um, yeah pretty much."

"Oh, then I shall make it my endeavour to make all residents of this planet try it then." She then turned to the other Titans "Friends! I implore you all to eat your pizza with the delicious Earth substance known as Mustard!"

The others just looked at her like they wished to throw up. That was when the Pizza showed up and Star immediately grabbed a slice and poured a mountain od Mustard upon it. She then shoved it in front of Robin's face.

"Friend Robin, would you like to be the first to try?"

Robin immediately started to rack his mind. How to get out of this problem without hurting Star's feelings. Which is practically impossible since her people are the most emotion race in the galaxy. (Considering that their powers are goverened by their emotions) It turned out Robin didn't have to think up a plan, for something showed up for him. It was the sound of airplane engines, hundreds of them. Robin as well as the other Titans looked up to see exactly what was going on. Their answer was several hundred cargo airplanes, all of their engines blarring were flying right over thier heads.

"Dude, what the heck is that?" Beastboy asked

"Maybe its some kind of airshow." Cyborg thought

"I haven't heard of any air show." Robin stated

Thats when the saw something falling out of the back of the aircrafts. To the Titans they looked like puffy red dots. Robin was the first to come to the obvious conclusion.

"Parachutes?" Robin wondered.

The Titans looked down at each other for a second

"Okay so what are those planes carrying and why are they sending them down to us? Beastboy asked

Suddenly their answer was given. From out of the sky crashing into a table next them was one of the things the parachutes were carrying. It was a paratrooper, and as this one staggered to his feet the Titans got a good look at him. The trooper was wearing a Brown overcoat that covered most of his body. He had helmet with a big red star plastered on the front and a heavy set pair of boots. As for his face, the Titans couldn't make it out because with a full Gas Mask. The trooper looked very out of place considering it was too warm to wear a coat and there was nothing dangerous to worry about breathing in.

"Well there's something you don't see everyday." said Raven cocking her head to one side.

"Um, excuse me." Starfire said to the Trooper as she approached "But who are you and why did you fall from the sky?"

The Trooper responded by taking the sling that was over his shoulder and pulling out an AK-47, which he pointed at Starfire and then cocked. The Titans then had another visitor. As another Paratrooper landed on their Table This one did not stagger around as he pulled out his Pistol and aimed at Cyborg's head. Then this second trooper spoke.

"Surrender or die." He said this in a very heavy set Russian accent.

If Robin had a bad feeling about this before he certainly wasn't happy that he was right. As the Trooper's parachute came over them he ceased the coming darkness and threw a birdrang at their attacker. Knocking him clean to the ground. The first trooper then tried to fire at Starfire but recived a Starbolt that threw him of the building's ledge and onto the street below. Robin had already wrestled the second Trooper to the ground and was tugging at his Gas mask.

"Who they heck are you people?" Robin said as he ripped the mask away. And what he saw forced him off of the trooper. As he stood up and the other Titans saw what Robin saw they could only open their mouths in awe. Their attacker wasn't even human. His face was that of some Lizard with a horn portruding along his snout. They Titans had probably missed it because the overcoat blocked their view but the trooper also had a tail that he was now violently swinging around.

"Dude." Beastboy said "That is so wrong."

The lizard paratrooper roared at them as more of his friends drooped down on the pizza parlour's porch platform and pulle dout their weapons.

"Titans Go!" Robin shouted as the team engaged this new enemy.

Cyborg blasted at the incoming troopers with his Sonic Cannon, one of those hitsknockinga whole squaddown to the street below. Starfire was throwing her Starbolts violently at the troopers as they attempted to shoot her. The ones that hit their mark knocked the soldiers straight through the floor.Thankfully Star was able to avoid their small arms fire with some quick and nimble air dodging. Beastboy was being surrounded by them, but he changed into a Mountain Gorrilla and beat them away. He then grabbed another one by his arms and bent his rifle before he could fire. Beastboy used him as a club to swat the other troopers away. Raven was having an easier time as she simply lifted the guns out of her opponent's hands and crushed them. some ran away, others charged and were quickly blasted back by one of Raven's blasts of black magic. One of them tried to sneak up behind her with a knife. She quickly turned and lifted several chairs and table above her head with her powers.

"Listen, you don't want this." Raven told him "Just put the knife down and crawl into a corner."

The trooper obliged, obviously he was smarter then the others.

Robin's approach was more hands on as he used his staff to knock the trooper upside their heads and causing them to collapse in a heap. Several troopers fired at him once or twice from a far of distance and he had to use his birdarang to knock them out. But just when it seemed like the Titans were winning more soldiers came bounding up the stairs of the pizza place and onto the roof. The quickly surrounded the Titans a drew their Guns. But Robin knew exactly how to fix this problem. The Titans quickly huddled together and waited for Robin.

"Raven! Now!"

And with that order Raven encased them in a dark shield and Robin threw up a small disk just before it closed. The resulting flash was blindin, not mention also extremely loud. When the Titans emerged they saw all the reptillian Troopers wandering around screaming and rubbing their eyes or at least trying to because the Gas masks were blocking them. Apparently, the manufactuers of those things didn't think a flash bomb would work so they hadn't even tried hard enough to make them resistant to light. Nowthey werecrying and clawing at their masks trying to relive the pain. Most of them just collapsed, while others could only prance around half dazed and half in pain.

"I couldn't use a gas bomb because of the masks," Robin stated "but a flash grenade works just as well."

"I think it worked better." Beastboy commented.

The Titans used this lull in the fighting to escape into the T-Car and drive off. They immediately started trying to solve the question of what exactly had just happened.

"Okay," Cyborg started "Who the heck were those guys and why were they trying to kill us?"

"Better question, why were they giant lizards?" Raven asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Beastboy said frantically "They're intergalactic space reptiles from another planet sent here to conquer us! They're gonna take us up to their mothership and stick anal probes in us! I don't wanna be probed!"

"As logical as that sounds," Raven said in her usually sarcastic tone "I'm not so sure."

"Raven is correct." Starfire confirmed "I do not recognize them from any race my people have encountered or heard of."

"That and Aliens wouldn't use airplanes." Robin added.

"Oh good point." Beastboy said scratching his head "They would be using space ships with laser that go 'plew-plew!'" Beastboy added to these sound effects by pointing his fingers around like guns. This earned him awkward stares from the Titans as well as annoyed look from Raven. Beastboy looked at her and cautiously pointed his fingers at her "'plew?'" Raven only sighed and leaned back in her seat.

"We need to get back to the tower and find out what exactly is going on." said Robin

"Don't worry. We'll be there in..." but as Cyborg turned the corner he stopped talking.

In front of the Titans was roadblock. Two heavily armoured cars staring down at them. The same retillian troopers with them And as the Titans looked behind them they saw two more.

"Oh crud." Beastboy thought out loud.

"Got a plan?" Cyborg said turning to Robin

"Yeah, just follow my lead."

But before he could get a word of his plan in a missile barreled out of the sky and struck the roadblock in front of them. The Titans looked on in shock.

"Robin, was this part of your plan?" Starfire asked

"Uh, no."

The Titans looked behind them and saw the roadblock behind them explode in another blast.

"Okay weird." Raven commented.

"Its a miracle!" Beastboy shouted "Thank you lord! I'm sorry I skip sunday school that one time."

The Titans got out of the vehicle to find their saviour and saw a black helicopter flying over head. Armed on its sides were some missiles.

"Oh yeah! The Calverly has arrived!" Cyborg shouted.

"But who are they?" Starfire asked.

The chopper flew low and dropped some zip cords down. Out dropped five seven figures, sliding down from the lines, who quickly started to run over to the wreckage. One them started to walk over to the Titans. He, like the bad guys at the pizza place was also not human. The Titans could see that by the fact that he and all the others had tail and stubbing portrudding snouts.

"More lizards?" Beastboy thought.

The creature walking over to them wore a long sloping helmet and had camoflauge make up all over his face. His suit was tight fitting and light brown and carrying what appeared to be a rifle on his back. The suit itself could only be described as not standard military uniform. It appeared to be a special model. This reptile must of been special forces. But for who precisely.

"Sorry for the wait," He said in a voice that confident and stern "we only got the intel an hour ago and we were scrambling to make it here before they gained too much ground. Luckily we found you before they got ya."

"Uh, yeah thanks." Robin said wearily.

"Okay," Beastboy said barging in front of Robin. "Who are you? Why are you a giant talking lizard? And who exactly was trying to kill us?"

The reptile immediately answered.

"My name is Captain Recon of the Raptorian Armed Forces. And I am not a lizard, I am a dinosaur. More specifically a Raptor. And those people whow ere trying to kill you were also dinosaurs, mutant Dinosaurs."

"Huh?" Beastboy said dumbfounded.

"Long story short." Recon stated "Your city is being invaded by a hostile enemy force and your military can't handle this situtation. That's why we got called in. Your city is now under martial law and I'm the one who is going to shove a grenade down these insurgents' throats. As of now your city is a warzone."

The Titans just looked at the Raptor dumbfounded

"This is going to be long day huh?" Beastboy asked.

"What was your first clue?" Said Raven looking at him sarcastically.

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Please just review, all shall be explained in the next chapter. Trust me you'll understand where I'm going. I'm just getting you interested first. 


	2. I Are Raptor

Well here is the second chapter, please read and review. Hopefully you'll now understand a bit of the backstory of my OC's original universe. The Raptor's origin will be revealed in a later chapter. But I'll let you guess for now at it for now.

Edit: Fixed up so you can understand the Martial law thing better.

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Chapter 2: I Are Raptor

A different mood was in the air when the Titans came back to their tower. And how could it not be, considering over a dozen unknown Raptor soldiers were scurring around the place. Captain Recon annouced that he was now using their tower as a base right when they arrived and now his soldiers were unloading all kinds of equipment into the tower. The Titans were trying to peice together what exactly was going on. Recon hadn't told them much except for the fact that the city they had always protected was under martial law. Robin wanted answers and he was going to get them out of the good Captain. Recon was busy looking at a detailed map of the city in the kitchen when Robin approached him.

"Excuse me Recon." Robin began.

"I'm busy at the moment." Recon said not turning around "Is this important?"

"Yes it is. No offence Captain, but in the last half hour you've flown into my city, blown up a few armoured cars that were chasing us, proclaimed we were under martial law and occupied Titans Tower. '**My**' Team's tower."

"Your base is the most technologically advanced emplacement around here. If there was someplace nearby with an intruder alert system and built like a fortress I would have set up there."

"My point is I'd like for you to explain what is going on exactly." Robin announced

"I already told you, your city is now in a state of emergency." Recon explained "We warned the US government about the forthcoming invasion of these Mutants and they asked us to try and hold them off while they prepare their army to step foot in the city itself. I'm afraid since the communitcations have been cut off between us and City Hall they have no real say in the matter. I can only assume the worst fo them.

"Not that," Robin told him"I want to know who is attacking Jump City and exactly why you came over here to stop them."

Finally Recon turned to face him

"I suppose you deserve an explanation." He said "Gather you team and meet me in your living room. I'll fill you in on everything."

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Beastboy wasn't really enjoying this day so far. First he fell out of his bed and landed on his face. Next he lost another round of video games to Cyborg who always gloated over every victory for days on end. Then just when he was about to enjoy some pizza a bunch of gun totting lizard creatures jump down from the sky and try to kill him and his friends. Now some Raptor was going through his junk in his room. Grunting something about how bored he was and how he was hoping to find something to do. Beastboy gringed at the thought of the dinosaur getting his claws on his comics. He'll probably rip them to shreads. Now Beastboy would have said something, but he had seen movies with his species of Dinosaur in them and he did not want to re-enact the film's final scenes. So he was standing outside his room with the door open waiting for something to call the Raptor away. He probably would have been there all day had Raven not shown up.

"What exactly are you doing?" she asked

"There's one of those dino-things in my room and he's going through my stuff."

"So just tell him to get out, its what I do whenever someone invades my privacy."

"Yeah but this guy is...well, just listen." Beastboy led Raven up to the door and they both peered in. The Raptor had his head stuck half way down under the bed.

"Bad enough I have to stay with a bunch of Human Teenagers," He spoke with a raspy voice "now my gameboy batteries die. Worthless piece a crap. How come Roger got a PSP, where did he get that money? Bet he asked mom for it. Little dumbwad, how'd he get out his egg anyway? Come on this green dude has to have something mind numbing to do."

"He seems nice." Raven whispered sarcastically to Beastboy.

"Tell me about it." Beastboy whispered back "First couple of minutes he went on over and over about how the Red Sox were the worst team ever. Then he was complaining about his high school days. Pounded my dresser a couple of times in frustration too."

The two stopped talking when the Raptor started up again.

"Doesn't this green guy clean up under his bed? EW! Is that a sandwhich? What is this stuff in it? 'Sniff-Snif' Oh sweet mike, tofu! This dude is a freaking hippie! Man, at least that goth chick's room was clean, its like a damn landfill in here."

Raven was immediately set off by the last comment. Raven pulled the Raptor out from under the bed and levitated him upside down in the air with her powers.

"You went in my room!" She screamed

"Um..." the Raptor started, slightly less mouthy then before. "whoops."

"It's bad enough that you invade Beastboy's privacy," Raven said "but mine!"

"Yeah you tell him Rae." Beastboy shouted

"Beastboy not now." Raven said briefly turning her head to face Beastboy then back to the Raptor. "Don't you know how to act when you're in someone else's house?"

"Techinically this is a tower." The Raptor added.

Raven released the Raptor and let him fall to the ground, he landed right on his head.

"Now who exactly are you and why are you going through our stuff?" Raven asked

"Geez, fine. Don't need to get all violent and junk." The Raptor said dusting himself off and scracthing his striped head along with the three feathers on top of it. "I'm Reige Turagut of the Raptorian Armed forces. I was going through your crap because I couldn't find a decent thing to do around here. Then my brother Rack just told me to go find something to do or stop complaining. So I was all fine, and I stormed off and started looking through everyone's rooms. While I was in yours I found this freaky looking mirror and this talking book in a chest. He was really annoying, kept asking who I was and telling me this boring crap about him and dragons so I dropped him on his spine once or twice."

Raven was emotionally disturbed. In the short time Reige had been looking he had stumbled onto her meditation mirror/portal to her mind and Malchior's book which was still locked in her chest. She knew he probably didn't go into her mind and she was happy Reige didn't let Malchior out. It had taken her days for her and Herald to track him down in Herald's diemension and re-seal him. She didn't want her hard work undone by a Raptor with boredom streak.

"Dude, you really shouldn't be messing with Raven's stuff." Beastboy informed "Believe me it bad news."

"I'm more worried about your crap ya green hippie," Reige shouted back "I mean what kind of person eats tofu sandwhiches?"

"Hey, I'm not a hippie!"

"Yeah right. Bet you have a stash of drugs too."

"Why I oughta..."

Raven stopped Beastboy from doing anything stupid and confronted Reige herself.

"Is it really nesscary to berate someone for their choice of food?" she asked

"Does it look like I care?" Reige asked

"You sir are a very rude reptile. Even Beastboy has better manners then you."

"That's a compliment right Rae?" Beastboy asked.

"Oh you sound like my brothers." Reige interjected "Always telling me to be nice and crap to everyone. If it weren't for the fact that mom made us promise not to kill one another when we joined the army I would have probably done it already."

"Are you always like this?" Raven asked

"Hell, I'm like this 24/7." Reige told her "If I don't get pissed off liked this I've had a dull day. If those damn Red Sox win, I punch a couple of their fans to make myself feel better. The fast food restaurant doesn't get my order right, I shove the damn burger back in the guy's face. If someone says a crack about New York City, I whack them with a Baseball bat. Problem solved."

"Dude, have you ever considered anger management?" Beastboy asked

"Good question." Raven added

"I hate that class, I spit on it." And Reige spat on the ground once he said this.

"Are you done?" Raven asked, hoping the Raptor would leave at last.

"Yeah, I'm done." Reige said "You humans are boring anyway. I need a beer."

With that Reige exited Beastboy's room and made his way to the kitchen. Raven and Beastboy were glad to be rid of him.

"Well that was a interesting encounter." said Raven.

"That dude has some major issues." Beastboy said to himself "Thanks for getting him to leave before he found my comics Rae."

"Anytime, you know about my personal stance on privacy. Besides, I'd talk back to a creep like that anyday."

It was then that another Raptor with bushy Feathers covering his head came down the hall and looked at them from the open doorway.

"Say, have you two seen a raspy voiced Raptor with anger problems?"

"You mean Reige?" Raven asked

"Yeah him"

"Dude just came in here looking through my stuff," Beastboy told the Raptor "we had a talk with him and he stormed off trying to find a beer."

"Oh god," The Raptor said shaking his head "I'm real sorry. I'm Rack his older Brother. Please don't hold a grudge against him, he's not good at making first impressions."

"We figured that out on our own." Raven responded

"I'll go talk to him. Again, he's an all around great brother. He just has a few social issues and he's just ticked that he has stay here."

"Why?" Beastboy asked "What wrong with this place?"

"Its not the place, it the people in it." Rack assured "Many Raptors don't think highly of humans."

"How come?" Raven asked

"Its a long and unfortunate story and this isn't really the time to talk about history lessons." said Rack looking away like the subject was something he didn't want to share "For now lets just say that our history with your species hasn't exactly been very delightful. In fact its been kinda violent." Raven and Beastboy simply accepted the Raptor's reason by nodding their heads. "Good, I'll be in the living room if you guys need anything." Then Rack left.

"Well at least these dinos aren't all bad." Beastboy thought.

"As long as they never go back in my room I'm fine with them." said Raven

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Cyborg was down in the garage. It was where he always went after a battle. He wanted to let the T-car get even the tinest of scratches go un-noticed. Which was why he was now under the hood looking to see if anything had been dislodged or knocked around. Thats when a rather chipper Texan accent spoke up behind him.

"Watcha doin'?"

In the surprise Cyborg had hit his head on the Hood of the car trying to turn around and face whoever it was. When he eventually got over the intial shock he saw rather chubby looking Raptor with Sloppy joe in his hand. He was in the same uniform as the rest of his friends but this one was covered in stains.

"Man you shouldn't sneak up on people." Cyborg said rubbing his head

"Oh sorry," The fat reptile replied "I didn' mean notin'. I was just looking around the place to try and meet you guys. I never really meet many superheroes ya know. So I was a wonderin'..." Thats when the Raptor noticed Cyborg's T-Car. "Hey is that your car?"

"Uh, Yeah." Cyborg responded. How exactly did this Raptor miss the fact that there was a car here?

"Cool. I'm usually my brother's designated driver." The Raptor started "I'm like the guy they always get to drive any vehicle we have to use on missions. Say have you ever driven a tank before? I have. Not much actual space for your snacks but its good for crushing cars and junk."

"Okay," said Cyborg wearily. He didn't understand why this Raptor was telling him this. "Um what did you say your name was exactly?"

"Oh shoot, I'm sorry. My name is Roger, Roger Turagut. O' course I don't need to know who you are. You're Cyborg. The robot guy." The Raptor continued munching on his sloppy joe.

"Uh huh, yeah. Um where exactly did you get that sloppy joe?" Cyborg asked

"Oh, its my last sloppy joe ration. You want some?" The Raptor offered cyborg the half eaten and rather drippy sloppy joe.

"Uh no thanks, I already ate." Cyborg told him.

"Alright, it cool." Roger stated as he continued to munch on his sandwhich.

"Say did you say that was a ration pack?" Asked Cyborg

"Uh yeah. It what us army folk eat during breaks. We gots hamburger rations, hot dog rations, deep fried chicken rations, chicken leg, ham and o' course Spam. Cause what army ration roster would be complete without Spam."

"You actually like Spam?" Cyborg asked bewildered that anyone could actually eat that stuff, in his experience it was almost as bad as tofu.

"Yeah everyone likes Spam. Well if not everyone, me at least. My brother do say I can eat anything."

"Yeah I'm sure they do." Cyborg said looking at the Raptor's portly stomach once again.

"Say do you know where the other superhero guys are?" Roger asked "I want to meet who exactly I'm staying with. You know common curtosity and all."

"Well I'm not really sure."

At that moment Starfire floated through the door of the garage.

"Friend Cyborg, do you know where Robin is at the present time?"

"No Star sorry."

Then of course Star noticed Roger.

"Cyborg, please tell me who this new friend is?"

"Oh this is Roger. He's one of those Raptor soldiers you know."

"Hi." Roger waved cheefully.

"Hello please tell, where do you come from? How did you get here? What is your favourite color? Do you wish to be my friend?"

Roger was obviously rather nervous at the fact the alein princess was so close to his face.

"Uh, Raptoria, but I've enherited a bit of Texas, I flew on some helicopter, yellow and okay I guess."

And of course, this promted Starfire to go into another one of her bone crushing hugs. This time it encured its wrath upon Roger's rather chubby frame.

"Hello new friend!" Star shouted

"Organs! Exploding!" Roger managed to spit out before colapsing in a heap at Star's release.

Star had apparently forgotten all about Robin and now only wished to please her new friend.

"I must apologise for my hug. Robin and my friends say I do not know my own strength." Starfire said pulling Roger back up Sloppy Joe still in hand. Which he immediately shoved in completely thinking he didn't want Star to make him cough it all back up next time she hugged him. "Allow me to make up for my transgression by offering some traditional Tamarian Glorck."

"Is that food?" Roger asked

"Correct."

"Alrighty then, I'm still hungry anyway."

Star immediately grabbed Roger by his clawey hand and dragged him off. Cyborg simply shook his head.

"Poor guy doesn't know what his stomach is getting itself into."

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Starfire of course was elated that Roger would be trying her home planet's food. She was even more pleased that unlike her friends he wasn't fidgeting or squirming around like most people did when they first saw Glorck. Roger just poked it with his tail once or twice trying to understand exactly what it was.

"So is this thing like jello or somethin'?" He asked

"The proper ingridents are from my home planet." Starfire informed him "I have to make due with what is here on earth. Please enjoy, it is most delicious."

"Well okay, you're the alien." Roger simply stuck his spoon in and scooped out some of the Glorck. As always he immedielty placed it in his mouth and swallowed. Five seconds later after going over the taste left in his jaws he smiled and shoved what was left into his mouth. "Damn, this stuff is good."

"Did I not tell you?"

"You know what could make it better?"

"What?"

"Mustard!"

Starfire gasped "That is what I was thinking!"

"Well great chefs think alike." Then Roger had an idea, which was extremely rare "Hey do you have more of that stuff?"

"Yes." Star responded

"Lets see what we can add to make it even better!" Roger told her

"A wonderful idea!"

"I'll get the Bar-B-Q sauce!" Roger started searching through his army bag on his back for his Bar-B-Q sauce when he noticed a familiar face come through the door. One of his brothers, a tall lanky Raptor with an unusal abnormality, His right eye had been replaced with a scope and his right nostril had a rifle nozzle sticking out of it. In short the Raptor had a sniper rifle fused into his skull and whats more it could work.

"Where in bloody hell have you been Roger?" The raptor said in a slight British accent.

"I've been hanging with my new friend Starfire here!"

"Greetings!" Star said poking her head up and noticing Snipe "Please why is your eye made of glass and a weapon sticking out of your nose?"

"Mission accident, toxic waste, horrible pain, ended up like this." The raptor said in a slightly annoyed voice "You may call me Snipe. Now may I ask what you and Roger are doing exactly."

"I'm helping her with her Glorck creations." Roger told Snipe

"Would you like to be the first to try our Glorck with mustard?" Starfire asking shoving a plate of the stuff in Snipe's face.

"Oh yes, that is exactly how I want to die," he said sarcastically "from tasting alien food with mustard on it."

"I ate it and it was fine." Roger told him

"That is because you have cast iron stomach." Snipe retorted "That and you'll eat anything."

"Oh come on big Brother, just one bite?" Roger coerced

Sniped sighed and took the spoon from Roger. Quickly he scooped some of Star's creation and slipped it into his mouth and swallowed. His facial expression still unchanged he turned to Roger.

"Very well, you were correct. It was quite good. In fact I believe I would like some more please."

"Most wonderful," Starfire clapped "I shall make more Glorck for my new friends."

As Starfire returned to the back to the kitchen to make more food for her two new friends, Snipe and Roger started talking.

"Have you seen Reige or Rack at all?" Snipe asked

"I was too busy searching for the superhero dudes." Roger told him "I met Cyborg. He's got this cool looking car! Not too talkative though, probably caught him at a bad time or somethin'."

"Well me and Rack have been looking for Reige ever since he started some stupid quest to get less bored." Snipe informed "He's probably already angered at least two people in this tower. Knowing Reige he probably did something really stupid like open up the Titans' weapons locker or evidence vault."

"He's probably just shootin' bottles with his shotgun." Roger said trying to have faith in what little he could give to his tempermental brother.

"Speak of the devil." Snipe said pointing to the door that Reige had just walked in. "Well Reige have you managed to piss anyone off this time?"

"Oh stuff it Bullets for Brains," Reige snorted "if it weren't for the fact I don't have a decent handheld I wouldn't be bored of this place already."

"Well if you saved up your money for one you'd have one wouldn't you?" Snipe told him

"Your logic is as sharp as always." Reige said rolling his eyes "So what have you been up to?"

"Roger here has been trying to make friends with our hosts." Snipe informed "Unlike you who has probably been going around sneaking into their rooms and trying to steal their stuff."

"Uh...No I haven't." Reige said nervousily trying to avoid eye-contact. The thing he did when he lied, which Snipe immediately recognized

"Oh dear." Snipe thought as he rubbed his temple

Star returned to the table. And looked upon her newest guest and the others with a smile.

"Friends I have made fresh batches of Glorck for all!"

"The hell?" said Reige confused

"Its called Glorck." Roger told him "Try some its awesome."

"Indeed, Roger knows what he is speaking of." Snipe added

"Since when does Roger know anything?" Reige asked quite rudely.

Starfire was surprised someone would speak about their fellow family members this way. Perhaps 'her' sister, but she didn't think others would be like her too.

"Reige! Remember what we talked about?" Snipe reminded

Reige let out a sigh "We don't make fun of Roger's IQ because it builds self-esteem problems." Reige said all of this rather annoyed.

"Good, now try some of Starfire's food. It will be a welcome change for some one who frowns upon other cultures' delights."

"Hey! I eat chinese!" Reige told him

"You know what I mean." Snipe decided to shove the spoonful of Glorck into Reige's mouth himself. Who at first resisted swallowing it but eventually succumed. And took his place at the table.

"More please." Reige asked in defeated voice

Starfire smiled and added another scoop of Glorck for Reige. He may have been rude but she somehow thought that the other brothers all had a good friendship with each other anyway. That was when Rack finally entered. Starfire now looked upon the last of the Turagut brothers as he entered the room

"There you are Reige. I've been looking all over for you."

"I didn't do nothing! I swear!" Reige denied

"You know, thats how he always knows you did something." Snipe informed

"Shut up!" Reige yelled

"Listen Reige," Rack began "as long as we are staying in this tower we are going to treat the Titans with respect and dignity. This includes not going into their rooms and messing with their stuff."

"But Rack, they're humans!" Reige screamed "Annoying stupid humans! Their closest living relatives pick bugs out of each other's hair and eat them!"

"Reige," Rack spoke "as your commanding officer I order to stop using those stupid analogies everytime we talk about this subject. Not everyone in this family still believes in those stupid school ryhmes about humans. Are we clear soldier?" Reige just triddled his claws "I said Are We Clear?" Rack asked with emphasis on each word.

"Yes Sarge." Reige said looking at his feet.

The entire spectacle reminded Starfire of Robin's leadership. And she was happy that Reige, who she surmised to be the rather rude memeber of the family was put in his place. Perhaps this was how they kept their family together.

"Good. Now, what exactly are you three eating?"

"Starfire's delicious Glorck suff from Tamaran." Roger informed

"Its rather good actually." Snipe added

Rack used his claw to taste some it and was rather pleased with the taste.

"Hm, good." Rack complimented as he sat down at the table and awaited Starfire to slide over a bowl.

"It is most delightful to have met all of you." Starfire smiled "As it is always delightful to meet new friends."

"Well thanks for sharing the grub miss." Said Roger "You can cook for us anytime!"

Starfire beamed yet another smile just as Robin marched through the door with the other Titans.

"Friends, it is good to see you. You must meet my new friends, the Turaguts." She pointed to each of them as she said their names "Roger, Snipe, Reige and Rack."

Reige just looked away as he saw both Raven and Beastboy. Snipe and Rack gave solem salutes and Roger was well...

"Wow, Robin. I've heard all about you?" Roger was practically shaking Robin's hand off "What it like in Gotham? Is it all dark and stuff? Where did you learn kung fu? Cause I'd like to know that stuff. I mean I've seen a lota Ninja movies and all but I always fall on my face."

"Please stop shaking my hand," Robin asked politely "you're crushing it."

"Oh sorry," Roger then went over to Beastboy "Hey Beastboy! You can turn into animals right? You can huh?"

"Uh yes." Beastboy answered

"Can you change into me?"

Beasboy shrugged his shoulders and followed his request. He quickly changed into a Raptor and Roger was basically ecstatic.

"Oh god, this is so cool." As Beastboy changed back Roger went over to Raven "Hey Raven, hi. I like your cloak its all like so dark mysterious. Not only that but it looks cool. The closest I gots to a cloak is a hoodie. But it ain't cool and all."

"Uh Thanks." said Raven bewildred.

"Say I always wanted to know, what that funny looking jewel thing on your head is?" Roger asked "Is it like a fashion statement, something you stole from a powerful wizard? Whats it do?"

"Its a chakra. It helps control my powers."

"Wow, thats pretty cool."

Rack stepped beside his brother and put his hand on his shoulder

"Please excuse my little brother, he usually isn't like this." Rack told the Titans "Its just his first time meeting super heroes and he's a bit over stimulated."

"Its okay," Robin assured "we just don't get many people like him."

"Yeah," Beastboy muttered "extremely friendly people."

"Roger is the one who is good at first impressions." said Rack "He's probably the most polite and good natured Raptor I know."

"Can I have sugar now?" Roger asked

"No Roger," Rack told him "you know what the doctor said."

"Yeah I know," a dissapointed Roger said "When I get over-stimulated the last thing I need is sugar."

"Maybe some herbal tea could help bring him down." Suggested Raven

"Oh boy! I like tea!" Roger said perking up

"Later," said Robin "right now Captain Recon is going to tell us exactly what is going on."

"Very well," Rack complied "come on squad best get to the briefing before the Cap gets all ticked."

The Raptors got up from their seats and walked over to the living room area.

"So who is this Recon dude anyway?" Asked Beastboy

"The most tech savy Raptor in the entire Military." Rack responded.

"He's a master of steatlh and knows everything about technological warfare." Snipe added

"Um," Beastboy said looking at Snipe. "Do you have a sniper rifle in your nose?"

"Toxic waste, Mission gone wrong, horrible pain." Snipe answered nonchalantly

Beastboy's question earned him a nudge from Raven. He supposed he deserved that.

Finally when they were all seated down, Recon laid out the situation.

"Okay," He began "I hate giving history lessons, but since not all of us are familiar with our enemy at the moment I think its only proper to fill you in."

Beastboy raised his hand.

"Is there going to be a quiz or something?" He asked

"No." Recon answered agitated causing Beastboy to shrink back into his seat "Now Robin, the dinosaurs you faced at the Pizza Parlour with your team are called Mutants. They, are like us, Dinosaurs brought back to life by genetic scientists."

"Just like that movie!" Beastboy proclaimed and quickly shut up as the others eye balled him

"Here's the history. After the end of WWII and subsequent faltering of the relationship between the Western powers and the USSR, Moscow issued a project that would hopefully give them the edge over Washington. They planned to create an army of dinosaur warriors from small scraps of genetic DNA samples still left in remote corners of the world. Parts of the arctic, Mongolia, Siberia, even as far as Antarctica and Central America. However many of the DNA samples were incomplete. In order to get an actual clone of a dinosaur to live they would need to complete the missung DNA strands with other more complete DNA strands. Therefore the Russians spliced together genes of other Dinosaurs and living animals with the incomplete samples which created Mutated DNA strands within the creatures themselves."

"Freaky." said Beastboy, earning him a 'sssh' from the others.

"So whatever became of the project?" Robin asked

"It met with repeated failed attempts and several re-clonings of the same genes leading to even more mutations and abonormalities. Think of it as creating a copy of a copy of a copy and so on. Eventually the project was disbanded after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the island where the research was being done on abandoned. But in their haste to abandon it, the scientists didn't destroy their work. Thousands of mutant dinosaur eggs they thought to be failures. In truth, they were simply dormant and when they hatched an entire new species of dinosaur were born. Some of the Mutants share similarities with other animals, such as cross between a Triceratops and a dog. Other times they have two heads sharing the same body or an extra tail. The combinations are various and seem to be growning each year."

"So why are they attacking us?" Asked Raven

"It happened several years ago after the Mutants had set up their country of Mutentica on their Island home and their leader Gala Stalin, a Half Galamimus, half Celophysis, ordered the invasion of Eastern Europe. Apparently when the Mutants found out why they were created they went straight to work trying to fullfill their 'Destiny' as it seemed. We managed to stop them before they could get a foot hold in Poland and pushed them out. Gala Stalin was killed leading a final assualt on one of our bases there."

"Who destroyed him?" Starfire asked

Recon simply looked over to Snipe, who seemed rather embarrassed.

"I thought he was a Tank commander with that helmet on." He said

"With Gala Stalin dead, The UN had to relegate a new leader to a position of power to keep the country from going into a state of anarchy. Raptoria, thats us, eventually settled for a Allosaurus/Stegosaurus mutant named Stabasaurus.

"Well that's a great name." Raven said sarcastically

"He was really the only one who wanted the job. Looking back on it now, it was a mistake to put him incharge."

"Why?" Cyborg asked "What happened?"

"Stabasaurus had no intention of following the agreements that the UN and Raptoria had set up. He rebuilt his military forces in relative secret and launched an attack on Raptorian soil. Those were dark days for us. President General Rage was almost killed several times. (A/N: No relation to the actual author, I give my internet name as one of my characters all the the time, it makes things easier) Anyway, we eventually turned the tide and kicked the Mutants out of the Carribbean and arrested Stabasaurus for War Crimes in his own office, after a long and grueling battle of course. After that a new leader was voted into office. The country is now run by President Horturcough and Mutentica's now a democratic nation and hasn't gotten involved in major global conflicts since."

"So who are these freaks?" Beastboy asked

"Not everyone wants to forget old Mother Mutentica. The Mutants you fought are members of a rogue army division know as the 37th Paratroop Brigade. Led by a one General Karvisko. Karvisko was former member of the Communist cabinet of Stabasarus and he was even lucky to maintain his rank of General. He didn't like being demoted from Secretary of Defense however. It appears he didn't like losing the old communist ways either. He's brought his entire army over to his side of thinking and now more then 2800 Mutant soldiers are attacking your city. They're now callling themselves 'The Red Path'. And they ain't going to stop until this city is theirs."

"But why us?" Robin asked

"One of two reasons. First is personal. After our country was conquered the 37th was supposed to invade Jump City as part of the Mutant's next phase, conquering America. Fortunately it never came to pass. It appears however that Karvisko wants to complete that mission. The second reason is tactical. A cheif member of the President's cabinet was on his way to a UN summit in New York. His flight was rerouted here and he decided to spend the night. Guess who rerouted the flight?"

"Karvisko." Robin answered

"Correct. He managed to hack into the airport's flight systems and told them that their route had been changed. All flights to New York were later cancelled and our VIP was forced to stay here before he could continue on. We suspect Karvisko had that arranged too."

"Whose that VIP?" Robin asked

"Major Rash," Recon announced "Senior Advisor to the President and Cheif of the intelligence and Anti-Terrorism bereau."

"Major Rash?" Beastboy chuckled

"You wouldn't be laughing if he was here." Reige told Beastboy "He would chew you up and spit you out. Then he'd do it again. He's also ripped. Works out in the gym everyday, lives in there practically. He's pretty spry for an old guy."

"He was our Boot Camp officer back when we were just recruits." Rack informed

"Yeah that camp was fun." said Roger "We really should set up a reunion for the graduates."

"Roger, do you remember how you almost didn't pass?" Snipe asked

"Well yeah," Roger answered "but it was a great couple of weeks."

"So where is he now?" Robin asked

"Thats the problem, the Major was attacked about a few minutes before we arrived. About the time the Mutants began their infiltration. They launched their trooper planes from their arctic base and flew them all the way down the west coast disguised as public airline flights. Then of course they bailed everything from their planes out and let them crash just a few miles outside of town. They already had some of their ground squads arrive a few weeks ago to prepare for Rash's arrival. The Mutentican government has condemmend the actions of Karvisko and his men, they're givining us full power to do anything to stop them. So there is no danger of an international incident. The Major and his entourage called me a few minutes before we arrived back at the tower. He's being held up in a parking garage with his entourage. I have sent men over there to secure the area until we can properly extract him to this location. But he zone around the area is too hot and I can't land anyone else in there. If we want to get the Major out of there alive we're going to have get him out of there on foot."

"How?" Robin asked

"Here's the plan." Recon said turning to city map behind him where the Titans screen was usually. "Turagut squad, that's Rack and his brothers, will land a few blocks outside the hot zone by Blackhawk. And a Armoured Personal Carrier will meet them at the redezvous point. They'll then proceed to the Parking garage and escort the Major to safety in the carrier. After the Major is safe we can work on getting this city back under order."

"Where do we fit in?" Robin asked

Recon was somewhat surprised to hear this from Robin "Robin," He said "this isn't your average everyday bank robber or sadistic psychopath. This is war. Its dangerous. And these terrorists are highly rained professional soldiers. They'll kill you and not care. They'll go and have their fish and chips a few minutes after they slaughter you. And if we lose you the city will be in more panic then ever."

"This is my city and the Teen Titans have sworn to protect it." said Robin "No matter what."

"You have guts kid, I'll give you that." Recon told him "Fine, those of you who can fly will go with the Turaguts beside their Chopper. Provide them cover. Just because they're on the edge of the hot zone doesn't mean there won't be mutants." Raven, Starfire and Beastboy nodded in compliance "Cyborg and Robin will go with the APC and make sure it gets there safely. Don't hesitate to kill the Mutants, cause they'll do the same to you if they get a chance."

Rack jumped up from the couch.

"Enough with the talk, lets kick us some terrorist butt." He said cocking his submachine gun.

"You have your orders," Recon closed "recover The Major and get back here. I'll be heading there with you on the ground in the APC. Watch each others backs and you'll be okay out there. Gentlemen, get to it."

With that the Raptors and Titans went to their respected designated depature points. Bestboy, Raven and Starfire went to the roof with the Turagut brothers as the Chopper landed and let the Raptors on.

"So you good to go Raven?" Beastboy asked

"I was born ready." Raven responded

"Just be carfeul okay," Beastboy said to her "I don't wanna see anyone get hurt."

"Fear not friends," Starfire assured "we shall be victourious."

"If you're done talking kids," Reige called over from the Chopper that was ready to take off "its time for us to rock this city! Raptorian style!"

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Well I hoped you liked it, in the next chapter you'll finally get to see the Raptors in action. for now however, please review. 

Edit: To all those who don't know, Ceolophysis and Galamiusus are two different kinds of Dinosaurs. Just letting you know.


	3. Thats Urban Warfare for ya!

Despit the fact that Fanfics is refusing to upload anything to my server I have managed to do so anyway with a little creative reasoning. Exporting so to say. So here's chapter three and all its super action based goodness

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Chapter 3: That's Urban Warfare for Ya!

Jump City is usually a rather vibrant and active city. For now however it was earily quiet. All the usually active and out going residents were gone and the streets were all but abandoned. The occassional parked car or building was broken into or on fire. And high above the now abandoned streets was a Black Hawk Helicopter being escorted by two flying female superheroes and a Green Falcon. Inside this Chopper were the Turagut brothers, looking down upon the rooftops below.

"I hate the uncomfortable silence." said Rack leaning on the Chopper's minigun.

"Agreed," Snipe commented "the calm is most unsettling."

Starfire flew over to the open door of the Balckhawk.

"How much further must we travel?" She asked

"According to my map the Landing site should be just a few more blocks down." Rack responded looking at the small GPS device in his right hand.

"This has been way too easy." Raven said as she floated over to Starfire.

"You mean the whole getting over here?" Reige asked

"Exactly." Raven responded

"Well then consider it a good thing we got here with no problems. Otherwise, there would be gunfire and bullets and-" Reige was interuppted when they heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire emanating from the rooftops below.

"Enemies on the rooftops!" The pilot shouted

Rack looked down from his postion and saw the shooters.

"Well, there's that gunfire now. Thank you Reige." Rack said quite annoyed

"Why me? I didn't do anything?" Reige retorted

"You're a jinx that's why." Snipe shot back.

"Less talking," Raven yelled "more hitting!"

With this the Titans launched themselves at the Mutants on the roof. Starfire blasted several backwards as they fired upon the chopper. Beastboy landed and morphed into a rhino trampling all that came within striking distance of his charge. One of the Mutants took aim at the rhino as it charged, but even as Beastboy noticed this and tried to stop a blast of dark energy knocked the mutant to the ground. Beastboy quickly noted his saviour.

"Thanks for the save Raven." Beastboy saluted after changing back into his original form

"You owe me one." She answered back

Raven saw that the Chopper had moved ahead and was now being fired at from another rooftop. Muttering her mantra she lifted a nearby billboard and sent it crashing down on the Mutant's heads. The chopper moved on to a small intersection in the road and was about to land when two transport trucks arrived and began to let troops off to fire at the Blackhawk. Rack fired his minigun at the opposers but more were streaming out of the building and the sudden arrival of machine gun mounted truck wasn't good either.

"Well they set up themselves quite nicely huh?" Reige thought.

Beastboy had landed next to the truck as a mountain gorilla and wrenched the mounted machine gun free of its owner. He then simply flipped the car on its side. This prompted the Mutants onboard to scurry away as fast as possible. Raven lifted one of the transport trucks offf the ground and crashed it into the second one. Raven then heard a distinct clicking sound behind her. A mutant was holding a pistol to her head

"If I see you hands glow American I will shoot!" The Mutant shouted

Before Raven could figure out what to do, a certain Green Gorilla provided the answer as he grabbed the Dinosaur's head and threw him several yards away. The Gorilla turned back into Beastboy.

"I think we're even now." Beastboy stated triuphantly

"You still me owe me for all the other times Beastboy." Raven retorted

Beastboy just frowned at this, even if he did know it was Raven's way of saying thank you.

The Black Hawk landed very soon afterwards and the Raptors' piled out.

"Okay, the insertion went off without a hitch." Rack said looking around "Now the tricky part getting to the actual Parking Garage."

"If these guys are anything like the other Mutants they should be no problem." said Beastboy smoothly

"I do hope that Robin and Cyborg have had a safer journey then us." sighed hopeful Starfire

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Another Mutant Roadblock was crushed beneath the APC as it blasted through terrorist after terrorist steadily approaching the rendezvous point. The Machine gun was manned by a Raptorian soldier as Recon and the two Titans with him rode along. all the while gunfire and bullets were bouncing around on the armour outside the vehicle.

"Okay," Recon said looking at Cyborg and Robin "when we reach the Parking Complex, Rash will be immediately transported onto the APC. We have two other APCs behind us, they will transport the remaining soldiers and your friends back to the safety of the tower. But first we got to make sure extraction will be smooth, so we are going to have to take out any enemy units that show up. Rash being such a high profile target, you can bet there will be resistance."

"We'll keep them off your back long enough for you and the major to get away." Robin stated

Another distinct cling hit the vehicle and then the gunner dropped down clutching his arm.

"Damn it, those little Mute asses shot my arm!" He said trying to close the wound "I can't shoot."

"Will you be okay?" Recon asked

"I just need a first aid kit. Medic!" The Raptor on board as the medic approached and wrapped the Raptor's arm up.

"I'll take the gun." Recon told the Titans as he got up into position on the APC.

Clicking on his target designator, Recon scanned the area. As a Mutant appeared out of the alleyway he quickly took him down. Another three mutants came up when they turned the corner. Recon again was able to get a target on them and kill them. Next Recon's designator named two hostiles on the rooftop above them. Quickly firing upwards he dispatched them. Recon could only think of one thing as he saw how easily he was leading the APC convoy through the enemy lines.

"I love technology."

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Turagut Squad and their Titans were having their own set of trouble with the Mutants. They seemed to be around every other corner and made things increasingly difficult. Eventually however they arrived the Rendezvous point just a few yards away from the Garage.

"Arrived right on time." said Rack

"But, where is Robin?" Starfire asked surveying the area

A second or so later the APC convoy arrived and let off the Cyborg, Robin and Recon.

"Did everyone manage to find their way here okay?" Recon asked

"Let's see," Beastboy said counting off things on his fingers "constant ambushes, crazy gas mask wearing dinos with guns shooting at us every two minutes, an explosion or two there, yep it was pretty relaxing."

"We're all alive you know." Snipe informed him

"I don't usually get shot at everyday with guns!" Beastboy yelled "Not to mention have worry about getting shot just walking through my own city!"

"That Urban Warfare for ya." Rack responded

"Could you please just calm down." Snipe pleaded

"I'M COMPLETELY CALM!" Beastboy screamed

Snipe slowly backed away and looked to Raven.

"Is he always like this?" He asked

"Usually," Raven answered "but he isn't used to this whole war thing. None of us are. So could just give him a little break."

Recon ordered the group to head towards the parking garage. Inside they found exactly who they were looking for. Pistol in hand and surrounded by a car baricade was huge muscular Raptor that towered over everyone in the complex. He was wearing his officer's uniform complete with hat. And the several bodies outside his small barricade indicated that he had used his pistol a lot today. The rest of Raptor soldiers were with him. Recon approached Rash.

"Major," The captain saluted "good to see you handled yourself okay."

"Damn it boy," said the Major in a gruff loud drill sargeant voice "what took you so long? I was just about to break out of here myself and take as many as these Red bastards with me as I went."

"I we have an APC outside waiting to take you back to Titans Tower sir." Recon told him

"Not yet," Major Rash stated "we still have to deal with some terrorist pests. Just across the street from here is a store where the Mutants have set up shop. I want it annihalated immediately."

"Alright," Recon complied "Turaguts to the roof. Lets see what we can do about this problem. But they won't be easy to kill inside that building" He then turned to the Titans. "You guys think you draw them out?"

"I know just the thing." said Robin

With the Turaguts positioned on the top floor of the garage overlooking the store where the Mutants were amassing, now covered with sandbag and barbed wire, Robin was preparing three esplosive disk to fly straight into the structure. With a flick of his hand the disk launched right into the building and the Mutants ran out. Trying to determine who threw the lethal devices at them. The Turagut Brother's fired on them. Snipe picked off any that appeared on the roof of the store while his brothers concentrated on ground units. Cyborg, who was with Robin, fired his sonic cannon at the Mutants that came out of the store as well hoping to push them back. When it was all over the Mutants had apparently retreated.

"Booyah." Cyborg said smuggly.

"Outstanding boys and girls." Recon congratulated as he came out of the Garage to oin the Titans. "But from here on out it only gets tougher."

"It gets worse?" Beastboy wondered at the ominous proclomation

"When does it ever get easy?" Raven asked back

"We still have to find Karvisko and restore order to this city." Recon told them "Lets get the Major back to the Tower before we do anything else."

"Good because I was getting hungry." Said Roger, turning his attention to Starfire "Say Star can we have a victory feast with that Gorck stuff?"

"Of course!" She answered "Glorck for one and all."

The Turagut brothers smiled, the other Titans just wanted to find a place to vomit.

* * *

Please review, I really want to know what you guys think of it. Next chapter will be something very interesting. 


	4. Soldiers of Mutentica

Okay I think it time that we met some of the Mutant adversaries of the Ttians, Karvisko himself won't appear until later but for now here some just as important figures in this story. Also we get to see the Titans take a more active role in this chapter. And as always I don't own the Titans but I do own the Raptor and Mutants so no stealing them.

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Chapter 4: The Soldiers of Mutentica

Major Rash was happy to no longer be in the middle of a fire fight, but he didn't seem to show it. He was too busy trying to figure out the current situtation from what little Recon could tell him.

"So in lamens turns sir," Recon said as he summed everything up "we pretty much have a huge problem on our hands. The National Guard is on their way right now but I don't think that they or us are equipped for the situation. We'll need reinforcements."

"How long until you get them exactly?" Rash asked

"A few hours," Recon admited "until then the best we can do is contain the situation."

Robin was the first one to suggest an idea.

"What if we find this Karvisko?" He asked "The mutants would have to surrender right?"

"That pretty much the plan kid." Rash told the young superhero "Problem is we just don't know exactly where he is."

"There's so much Mutant activity in the city he could be anywhere." Recon explained

"Maybe I can find out." Cyborg offered "The Titans supercomputer can pretty much detect a crime wherever it might happen. If you give me a few minutes I can pin point the most likely place where he might be."

"How exactly?" Recon asked

"Well I just locate their big HQ and destroy. It should be where the most Mutants are concentrated. Give me a second." Cyborg began to work his magic on the computer.

"I appreciate this Cyborg." Recon told him "Normally we'd have our Satelites do the work like this for us but we barely even know where to start."

"I should have the list narrowed down in a few minutes just hang."

That when Rash's cell phone rang.

"Excuse me." He said as he opened the phone. "Hello?...Yes Mr. President...I'm fine...Recon saved me and so did the Titans...Yes we are already assesing the situation...Thats good...Understandable...Sir right now we really just need reinforcements...I see...Uh huh...Okay...We'll hold out till then...I know you're worried, so am I...Listen all we can do now is wait you just have to keep the politics under control...Okay, talk to you then...stay frosty." Rash then hang up

"What is it sir?" Recon asked

"Well you'll get your reinforcements by nightfall and because of this whole insurgency the US President isn't just sending in the National Guard, Rage has told me that he's sending in the regular army as well, but we have a bigger problem." He told them

"What?" Robin asked

"News crews, they want to know exactly what is going on." Rash explained "We are going to have reporters coming in here with those US soldiers and when that happens we're all going to be on public TV. And if I know terrorists they are just going to love that."

"They have the right to know sir." said Recon

"Knowing about how we're controling the situation is fine. I just don't want the terrorists to use them as a showcase for their actions." Rash elaborated "The last thing we need is a headline about Mutants killing civies. It might as well be a call to hatred, damging relations between Mutentica and the United States. Allowing Karvisko to undermine the democratic leadership of the country."

"We won't let that happen." Robin exclaimed pounding is fists together

"Damn right we won't." Recon assurred him "I've already sent helicopters out to signal the city's residents to stay indoors and remain calm. If they don't get in the way of 'The Red Path' insurgents, the Mutants can't hurt them."

"Good start." said Rash

Suddenly Cyborg spoke up

"I got it!" He shouted "There's a large amount of Mutant activity at the footbbal stadium downtown."

"What are they doing?" Robin asked

"I don't know," Said Cyborg "but it looks like they got the place surrounded and closed off pretty good."

"Robin," said Recon "gather your other teamates here in 15 minutes while me and the Major go over a plan of attack."

"Will do." Robin saluted

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"Bull." Reige exclaimed to Beastboy

Reige and him were outside with Snipe in the Raptorian encampment they had set up on the roack shoreline.

"Its true!" Beastboy exclaimed "Raven's father was a crazy four eyed demon that destroyed the whole world and we saved it. She went all super charged and totally wiped her dad's face off the earth."

"I would remembered the world being blown up." Reige told him

"I'm told you," Beastboy said frustratedly "everyone turned to stone so no one really knows what happened except for us."

"Pft," Reige grunted "next you'll tell me that space Tofu almost destroyed the Earth but you stopped them with a motorbike."

"It was a moped actually."

"Snipe," Reige called over to his brother "do you believe this green hippie?"

"Not anymore outlandish then some of your tales Reige." Snipe said dispondiantly

"And I am not a Hippie." Beastboy reminded Reige

"Whatever tofu muncher." Reige said rolling his eyes "At least I never make up stories about girls hugging me."

"I'm telling you, she totally hugged me." Beastboy assured "It wasn't a dream, I swear! I checked. I pinched myself a lot of times!"

"Oh really." Reige said as he smiled snisterly suddenly "Hey goth chick, did little green hippie here hug you?"

Beastboy froze and he slowly turned around to see Raven standing over him.

"How long have you been there?" He asked

"Long enough to here you talking about private moments."

"I was just..." He couldn't get a word in edge wise as Raven had already turned and left. "Oh Rae, come on! I'm sorry, I was just making small talk!" Beastboy ran after her

"HA!" Reige scoffed "Little stupid hippie tofu muncher, that oughta teach him to make up crap about demons and alien freaks."

"You do realise that you inadverdently confirmed that he was telling the truth about him and Raven hugging by her reaction." Snipe told Reige

Reige thought about what Snipe had just said over in his mind. The gears eventually turned and he came to one inevitable conclusion.

"Ah damn, he got that close to the goth chick!" Reige exclaimed "How is that possible?"

"Probably the ears." Snipe joked

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Raven had almost fully retreated to her room when Beastboy finally caught up to her. She asked herself why exactly did she slow down? She should have known Beastboy would have been persistant enough to follow her. She decided to just not look at him.

"Rae please, let me explain." He pleaded

"I don't wanna hear it."

"But there is real good reason for all of this." He assured

"I'm sure there is," She snapped still not lookiing at him "you just happen to like sharing all our secrets with total strangers don't you? Perhaps you wanted them to think you were a great macho superhero and that you had a million girlfriends. Cause if that is why you liked sharing that private moment with Reige as well as revealing my family heritage then I totally understand"

"No you don't understand..." Beastboy was unable to finish however because Raven turned on him with a rather angry face.

"I completely understand. You're an immature child who will do anything to get attention even if it means telling people secrets about their friends! How many others did you tell already? Do you have web site called 'Raven's Secrets' on the net somewhere? Is it a hobby for you to act like an insensitive jerk all the time?"

Beastboy, now cowering in fear, tried to get his side of the story out.

"It isn't like that, Rae. Honest, I didn't mean to say anything important, but you see...I wasn't bragging or anything, it was just well...I..."

"Well what?" Raven asked, still rather annoyed

"Reige was making cracks about you being a goth a stuff." Beastboy explained "So I thought that if I told him why you were like you were he would stop making fun of you."

"That explains why you spurt out my family history, but why the hug?"

"Reige called you an unfeeling pale faced ice queen as one of his insults." Beastboy answered "So I him about that to, you know, prove he was wrong."

Raven calmed down, a little, he wasn't bragging or trying to show off he was actually trying to defend her. She was happy he wasn't being selfish, but that didn't make her less angry at him.

"My life isn't just an open book you can read to random people Beastboy. Next time you think about defending try not to use private moments between us okay."

"I'm sorry Raven," Beastboy omited lowering his head "its just that I didn't know what to use. So I just said the first things that came to my mind and usually, I guess, that isn't a good idea."

"And that hug was one of the things that popped into your mind why?" She asked

Beastboy needed to quickly think of what to say next. If he said the wrong thing Raven would probably never speak to him again or she would probably just kill him. Either way, this was one of those moments that he needed to think hard about. But he was unable to think of anything else but one answer.

"Because it was special to me." He replied

Raven just stood there for a moment, making sure she had heard him correctly. She thought she sould say something that would at least make Beastboy seem less nervous around her for the rest of the day, for it was apparent that he was waiting to see what her reaction was.

"Well," She now said with a monotone and more normal face "I'm glad that it was special for you to expierennce."

"Yeah, so...we...you know...good?" Beasstboy asked

"I guess. But no more stories okay."

"Sure, deal."

It was at this time that Robin showed up in the hallway and called the two Titans over to the living room.

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The mission plan was simple. The Raptors would surround the Stadium while the Titans and several other sqauds broke in and took down all of the Mutant soldiers inside. Hopefully the success of the operation would relieve some of the pressure that the city was now in. Reports of Mutant terrorist activity were coming from everywhere. If the Stadium was where most of them were amassing in strength then maybe retaking it would disorient them somewhat. The operation started as two Raptorian armoured vehicles opened fire on the Stadium entrances, destroying the guard stations there. After that the Raptors had surrounded the area from all sides. Now they needed to go in and clean the place out. The Titans had entered through the second ticket terminal.

"Okay everyone," said Robin "I suggest we split up and help the Raptors that are in here clear this place out. If you run into trouble call someone over to help you."

The other Titans nodded in approval and split up.

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Cyborg had made his way to the locker rooms of the stadium. As he entered he scanned the area with his sensors, nothing. This was getting discouraging He heard distant sporadic gunfire from other parts of the stadium but so far didn't encouter anything himself. With any luck everyone else was already getting action.

"Maybe I picked the quiet part of the building." he thought

Suddenly a punch to his back allerted him otherwise. Lifting himself off the ground he turned to face his attacker. A rather tall mutant with a somewhat long neck stood over him. His snout look somewhat beak-like in appearance and along with his two arms he had four additional limbs, tentacles to be more precise, sticking out of his trenchcoat. His helmet in the meantime seemed to be barely sticking on. It was floppying from side to side as the mutant moved his head. He would almost look comical if he wasn't trying to kill Cyborg.

"So," The Mutant spoke in a rather thick and husky Russian accent "this is the great Cyborg of the Teen Titans. One of the best Jump City and America itself has to offer."

"Got that right tentacle boy." Cyborg boasted "Now who are you?"

"I am Lieutenant Sergey, of the Mutentican Armed Forces, loyal member of the communist party and the last living thing you shall ever see!" The Mutant lunged a tentacle at Cyborg but he managed to dodge it at the last second.

"Nice try, but you can't stop me that easily." said Cyborg arming his Sonic Cannon.

Sergey only put his hands and tentacles up.

"As you can see I am unarmed, where is this American sense of honour I heard so much about?"

"Okay, fine you want a fair fight you asked for it." said Cyborg

Cyborg powered down his sonic cannon and lifted a nearby locker over his head. He then threw the locker straight at Sergey who simply caught it with his tentacles and ripped it apart. Sergey then latched one of his tentalce onto Cyborg and slammed him into a wall. Cyborg repayed the Mutant in kind by grabbing the still wrapped around tentacle and swinging Sergey into a row of lockers.

"You are strong American," The Mutant spoke as his tentacle retracted back to him "but you are still no match for me. I have you out armed as it were."

"Oh ha ha, very funny. And I thought BB's puns were bad."

Sergey used his tentacles to wrench a nearby bench out of the floor and broke it in half. He swung the two pieces at a now charging Cyborg who was unable to dodge them but still kept going slamming right into the mutant and knocking clean into a wall. Cyborg now had him by the neck.

"Gotcha now."

"Correction Capitalist," Sergey sputerred "It is I who have you."

Cyborg looked down at his feet and saw two tentacles coiled around them. Cyborg was lifted right off the ground and was now being held procariously in mid-air.

"Put me down!" He shouted

"As you wish." said Sergey and then he flung Cyborg through a wall and into the locker room showers. Cyborg got to his feet and turned to face Sergey as he walked through the brand new hole in the wall. "No normal human can face me alone and your only half a human Comrade. Give up now and perhaps I shall allow you to live."

"Fat Chance." Cyborg shouted back

"You Americans never give up do you?"

"Not in my vocabulary." Cyborg shouted charging head on at the reptile and punching him square in the jaw.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven moved through the dark corridors of the Stadium's staff halls. Making sure to move very carefully through the area. She didn't know what to expect. She did not see anything or hear anything, but she sensed something. A presence that was watching her, following her, immitating her every move. What's more she sensed it was hungry, for what she could not tell. One thing was certain, it was at this moment right above her. She slowly inched another step before turning around and unleashing a blast of black magic from her hand. Whatever it was fell to the ground in a heap.

"Who are you?" She demanded

The creature got up and shook its head. Finally Raven got a good look at her would be assailant. A mutant with a officer's hat stood before her, in place of a trenchcoat was an officer's uniform torn at the sleeves. The Mutant had a somewhat short snout and a strange leatherly nose. He also appeared to have fangs coming down from his upper mouth and two large ears coming out the sides of his head. But the most shocking feature was that he had wing for arms, bat wings.

"I am Colonel Vlad Aleksander my dear girl." He said with a bow, tucking one of his arms under his body

"Charmed I'm sure," Raven said in her usual sarcastic tone "so are yougoing to come quietly or what?"

The Mutant stood tall and resumed his previous position

"I do not desire to be taken prisoner by you American," He said "but there is something I want from you?"

"Which would be?" Raven wondered

"Your blood!"

The Mutant barred his fangs and charged at Raven who phased ointo the ground below causing the Colonel to run straight into a wall. When Raven returned she had a pretty good idea what kind of bat this Mutant was fused with.

"This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder." She thought

The Colonel got to his feet and turned to Raven

"Oh please," He began "I have come so far. I had sucked the blood of prisoner of wars when I invaded the Raptor's island. Since then I've been underground trying to avoid the war crimes tribunal of the UN. I have longed since my last drink to again taste the blood of this Western world. And to partake my first sip from that of a beautiful young American such as yourself would be ever so delightful."

"And I thought Slade was perverted," said Raven "you're just down right mental."

"Enough talk! Give me your blood!"

The Mutant charged again and was shot back by a blast of magic from Raven. She looked around for something to throw before the Mutant got back up. She spotted an over head airduct above the Mutant now lying on the ground trying to rise.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

With a mutter of her mantra the airduct collapsed and it fell on top of the mutant sending him through the floor. Raven went over to the hole to see what had become of him and was met with a surprise as the Mutant flew back up. Realizing she couldn't take him in this closed space she levitated into the air and flew away as fast as she could while Vlad chased after her.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin in the meantime had met up with the Turagut brothers who were pinned down by a concession stand in front of them. The Mutants inside were firing practically every two seconds. The Raptors couldn't put their heads up for a moment to even shoot one of them.

"Damn I hate it when the is happens!" Rack lamented

"I have an idea." Robin stated

"Oh yeah the human has an idea." Reige snorted "What is it monkey boy? You gonna waltz out there and fling poo at them?"

Reige recieved a conk on his helmet from Rack for his remark to Robin.

"What did I tell you about relating humans to monkeys?" Rack shouted

Robin ignored the Squabble from the Raptor brothers and used his staff to fling himself into the air. High above the fire zone he tossed a smoke bomb into the concession stand. Unable the to see the Mutants stopped firing.

"Now!" Robin shouted to the Turaguts as he landed

The Turaguts stood up and fired into the smoke laden food stand when all had cleared the Mutants had been dispatched.

"Good job Robin." Rack commented "Sure saved our scaly hides back there."

Reige was too busy grunting something uder his throat when he elbowed by his older brother.

"Yeah, yeah," Reige said "Thanks, ya little hairless ape..." Reige trailed off into some diatribe that could not be decifered and probably included several swear words.

Roger in all the commotion had jumped over to the other side of the concession stand and began to rummage around in the back. He finally stuck his head up and waved around a chicken on a rotisserie spike.

"Good news guys! Its undamaged!" He shouted with glee

"Roger get back here already." Rack ordered

"Just let me get some snacks okay!" He shouted back as he returned to his rummaging

"Always thinking with his stomach he is." Snipe commented

Robin turned to Rack for an update on the situtation

"How are things going?" He asked

"So far we're doing well." Rack informed "But we're having trouble getting to the field and the seats of the place. They seem to have closed off all entrances to it."

"Why?" Robin asked

"Probably hiding something big." Rack told him "Tanks, weapons, maybe a helicopter or two. Whatever it is We gotta get in there."

"I think there is a boarded of entrance to the field down this hallway," said Snipe "Reige here has some explosives that he could use to blow the boards out and get us through."  
"I love C4." said Reige hugging a pack of explosives he carried.

This earned him a confused and rather disturbed look from Robin

"Ignore that," Snipe whispered to him "he sleeps with a loaded shotgun."

Roger had jumped back over the the concession stand barrier carrying a box of nachos in one of his hands and two hot dogs in his mouth that he was slowly munching down as well as a soda in his other hand. He mumbled something through his stuffed face that was rather in coherent when a shot rang out and he tumbled over dropping his Nachos and soda and screaming in pain. He clutched his foot yelling at every counter-swear word imaginable.

"Popper Cracky Mother Fudger!" He screamed "My gosh darn foot!"

Snipe ran over to give his little brother first aid while Reige, Robin and Rack turned to see a frilled Dinosaur with four arms holding two assault rifles, a gas mask that only covered his mouth, wearing paratrooper pants and had what appeared to have anttena and insect wings on his back.

"Big mistake mother F'er!" Screamed Reige "That was my little brother!"

Reige fired off a round from his shotgun at the Mutant who scurried behind a pillar in the middle of the walkway. And he literally scurried, like an insect, very fast and quite erractic.

"Come back and fight like man you little son of a bitch!" Reige screamed again

"Snipe how is he?" Rack asked turning back to his two brothers

"Its only a flesh wound he'll be okay." Snipe reported

"Get him to cover." Rack ordered turning back to Reige and Robin "Come one we'll take care of that ass wipe."

Rack, Reige and Robin approached the pillar where the Mutant had ducked behind. When they got to it they found the Mutant gone.

"Where did he go?" Reige asked

Robin looked up and saw the Mutant climbing up the pillar

"There he is!"

Reige and Rack looked up and being less surprised then robin was apparently let fired everything they had at the mutant. But the dinosaur just leapt off the pillar and seemed to fly away with his bug like wings.

"Eat this ya little asshole!" Reige said firing his shotgun at the mutant which landed square in his back and dropped him to the ground twitching

"That was for my brother you little insectoid freak!" Reige shouted in triumph

Robin approached the downed Mutant with his staff drawn and just as he got to it he saw the twitching stop. Robin thought this meant it was dead, but then it's eye's opened

"Psyche!" The mutant shouted tripping the Robin onto his back

The still alive mutant scurried several meters away.

"No freakin' way!" Reige shouted

"Who are what the hell are you?" Rack demanded to know

"When you get to hell Raptorian," The mutant spoke "tell them the Cockroach sent you!"

The mutant flung a grenade at the feet of Robin and scurried away into the hallways. Robin tried to move away in time, but he wasn't fast enough.

"Move ya masked moron!" Reige shouted as he grabbed Robin by his cape and pulled him out of the range of the grenade before it exploded

When Robin had the ample time to shake what had just happened he looked to Reige.

"Thanks." He said

"Just because I'm not a big fan of humans doesn't mean I could let ya die." Reige told him

"Come on," said Rack "lets go check up on Roger."

"What about that Cockroach guy?" Robin asked

"Right," Rack said "I better warn HQ. Tell them we have a bug."

"Sure do have a bug." Robin agreed "I mean what the heck was that thing?"

"Some Mutants are fused with insects and are slightly tougher to actually kill." Rack explained "They usually get into the special forces and stuff. Lots of Mutants have two pairs of arms but only a select few have DNA that shares that of an Insect's exoskeleton."

"Think about how hard it is to kill a cockroach by stepping on it," Reige added "now think about trying to take on that kinda armour when you have it fused with a dinosaur's tough hide, specially a Ceratops like that guy apparently is."

"And it can climb up walls and hold two guns?" Robin asked

"Sure can, or four if they are pistols." Rack informed "I fought a couple of mutants who held two fully operational machine guns at times. They're really dangerous, you'll see a lot of them before this crisis is over."

"This never gets easier does it?" Robin wondered

"Its war kid," said Reige "what did you expect?"

Roger and Snipe came over to the group.

"How you doing bro?" Rack asked to Roger

"Fine, fine." The Raptor assured "And best part is the Nachos are okay too!"

Roger held up the box of Nachos and continued to munch on them

"Its nothing bad," said Snipe "It should be healed up by the end of the day. He can still fight."

"Then come on," Rack ordered "we have a Stadium to re-take."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire blasted her way past Mutant after Mutant as they tried to take her down, but they were no match for the Alien's starbursts. Soon the platoon of soldiers before her ran like the cowards they were.

"I am sorry for having to hurt you!" She shouted "Perhaps if you were nicer we could have been friends."

At that time Cyborg appeared, through a hole in the wall he had apparently been thrown into.

"Cyborg!" Starfire shouted "Are you damaged?"

"Star! Look out!"

But it was too late four tentacle had wrapped around her body and she was dragged closer to Sergey, now standing in the hole that Cyborg had made, as he laughed at her efforts to escape

"I had thought coming here would be a waste of time." He said "No one on this planet can truly match me, I am the most accomplished wrestler in the entire Mutant Army. Winner of several consecutive tournament."

Starfire continued to struggle against his grip

"Of course," Sergey smirked placing his hand underneath Starfire's chin "if coming here meant I could meet the Alien Princess Starfire of Tamaran how could I resist?"

"Put me down!" Starfire shouted

"Oh please, do not struggle." Sergey requested with a smile "I may hurt your deliquet frame."

"I hate to disapoint you," Starfire said "but I am stronger then I look."

Starfire delivered a kick to Sergey's chest causing him to losen his grip on the girl with a sudden gasp. Starfire then punched the Mutant with all her might back into the hole he had crawled out of. He had apparently come from another locker room's showers for had been slammed straight into to one of the stalls with water spewing all over him

"Wretched little Alien bitch!" Sergey muttered before a flurry of Starbolt hit him square on

Weak but still standing he saw a flying Starfire speeding straight at him. Sergy tried to use his tentacles to smack her, but Starfire avoided them and punched Sergey right in the jaw. Causing him fall through more Shower stalls. Then his motion was changed as Starfire grabbed him and flew upwards into the ceiling and throwing him to the ground when they arrived. He got to his feet once more.

"You should not have harmed my friend!" Starfire shouted

As she began a flurry of punches one after the other on Sergey it was apparent that the Mutant was reaching his limit. The furry of punches stopped when Starfire delivered one to his forehead that sent him several feet backwards. Although he was still standing up, Sergey was still in pain. Cracking his rather long neck and preparing to face Starfire again he instead met with more green as Starfire fired her eye bolts at him.

"Aw sh-"

Sergey was unable to finish his swear as the eye bolts blasted him straight out of the stadium and several rooftops away.

"I hope I did not damage your frame of deliquetness!" Star shouted at the fading Mutant's figure.

She now knew why Robin kept saying stuff like that in battles, they were quite enoyable. Cyborgin the meantime had managed to get back on his feet and jumped up to meet Star on the level she had reached.

"Good going Star," Cyborg congradulated "He may be the best in the world, but on Tamaran he's got nothing."

"Thank you friend," Starfire bowed "please are you fit for battle?"

"I'm fine, I just need to get my barrings."

"Wonderful. Then let us continue together."

"If there anymore of those kinda creeps around here I think I'll need back up. Sure."

Starfire's thoughts now turned to the other Titans

"I do hope our friends have not encountered such problems as we have."

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Beastboy was not liking his visit to the Stadium so far. Then again he never liked it there much anyway, due to the fact they only served meat and they didn't allow outside food. But now with a bunch of Mutant Dinosaurs packing guns it wasn't plesant at all. He had managed to take out several columns of soldiers by charging at them as a well armoured and muscular Triceratops and was able to take them on in close combat as a wolf or tiger or gorilla, but they were still almost impossible to stop they just kept coming and coming. There was practically no end to them. As another Mutant fell pray to his Kangaroo kick and bull butthead combo and another Mutant meet the rear end of his Ankylosaurus tail and Gorilla pound move. He was beginning to see how tiring this was getting. He then settled on turning into a giant squid and just picking most of them up and flinging them across the hallway. Eventually the mutants stopped coming and Beastboy finally shifted back into his normal form, panting.

"Dude," He exclaimed "am I the only interesting person around here?"

Beastboy's question was answered as a speeding Raven passed him with some kind of bat thing on her tail that she was firing at.

"Come back!" It exclaimed "I only want you blood!"

"_Oh no you don't._" Thought Beastboy as he made his next shift into his giant octopus form and grabbed the bat thing in mid air bringing it back down to earth.

"Leave her alone!" Beastboy shouted getting the Mutant's attention

"Her blood is mine American!" The Mutant shouted "There is ntohing you can do to stop me!"

"Oh yeah!" Beastboy shifted into a lion and pounced on the Mutant Bat-Dino.

They rolled around clawing and bitting one another. Beasboy eventually turned into a grizzly bear and tried to pin the Mutant to the ground.

"Beastboy be careful." Raven warned floating back to their position "Watch out for his fangs!"

Beastboy made sure to keep those fangs from biting him, they looked rather sharp and he didn't want to know what would happen if this mutant stuck him with one of them. Eventually the Grizzly picked the mutant up by his wing and pounded him to the ground. Quickly morping into an African Elephant he grabbed the mutant by the torse and swung him into the open hall way of the stadium. The mutant landed in the path of the Sun's shinninh rays and he quickly sheilded his eyes.

"ACK! Too bright!" He screamed in pain "Sensitive eyes! It burns! Curse you Green American! I shall have my revenge upon you and your blue cloaked friend!"

The Mutant flew away through an over head air duct before Beastboy could catch him. Raven floated nearby.

"You okay." He asked

"Yeah, thanks." She replied

"Who was that guy?"

"Some guy named Colonel Vlad Aleksander." Raven told him "Said he wanted to taste Westerner blood again and he choose me."

"Thats just sick." said Beastboy as he covered his mouth

"Tell me about it." Raven agreed "But he's pretty strong, he even managed to hold his own against me. Took a full blast of my powers to the chest and it barely phased him."

"Yikes." Said Beastboy

"You seemed to handle him well though." Raven complimented "You've been practicing it seems."

"Yeah well," Beastboy said scratching his "I had some time on my hand getting over that whole, you know...the thing."

Realising he meant a certain blonde girl that had returned from the dead she decided not to press the issue further.

"I know." She replied "Come on, lets try and find the others."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reige pressed the detonator in his hands and watched the boarded up entrance explode.

"Alright squad move in!" Rack shouted as the Turaguts and Robin barged through the entrance way and into the stands. What they saw on the field was astonishing. It was a giant Blimp as big as the entire stadium itself, with turrets covering the entire ship and a bomb rack under its chassis. And worst of all it was almost fully pumped up. The other Raptor squads and Titans broke through to the field area and the stand just in time to see the airship take off and the large doors of the roof of the stadium open as the airship began to rise into the clouds. The soldiers outside surrounding the place also saw the airship as it climbed up into the sky. As the Ttians and other Raptors looked on in awe Rack pulled out his radio and phoned Captain Recon.

"Um sir, I think we have a problem."

* * *

Yes, I made Star beat up the strong mutant. I thought it would be cool, besides I don't want to have people thinking I'm cliche by having Cyborg have to save her or something. And there was some little bit of BBxRae because well I have to put a little something in here don't I? I'm not going to have anyone kiss though so forget it. That stuff is okay for most stories but not this one. Anyway, I bet you are all wondering about that blimp huh? Well its origin and purpose will be explained, but allow me to say one thing. There is one more Raptor to be introduced and his premiere is going to be marked with lots of gun play. Hope you like that. Till then please review! 


	5. The Commando's Arrival

Another chapter, this one is a little short and doesn't describe the action as much because to tell you the truth, the Titans fighting on a blimp has been overlooked by the writers so I just borrowed most of the elements form video games with a blimp level. I do however describe the Commando in great detail because its almost cinematic in the way he fights. And something happens to Raven at the end of this chapter that will open up a major plot point. Don't worry, the other Raptors will return for their close up in the next chapter. And as always I don't own the Titans but I do own all the Raptor and Mutants. No stealing them

* * *

Chapter 5: The Commando's Arrival

Recon wasn't in a happy mood at all when they had all returned to the tower, by foot no less. Recon insisted no air transports take off from the tower to pick them up. He also ordered Raven, Starfire and Beastboy not to fly at all. Something was wrong and it definetly had something to do with that blimp. The Titans decided to find out. Recon was by his giant map of the city when they approached him.

"Mind explaining the huge blimp." Robin asked

"It an old Mutentican war relic upgraded with more modern weaponery," the Raptor told him "somehow they managed to sneak all the parts they needed for it here and conceal its construction in the stadium. Now that zeppelin is our biggest problem."

"Dude, what the deal?" asked Beastboy "Its just a big balloon filled with air and stuff."

"That big balloon," Recon responded "is armed with more anti-air weapons then you shake a stick at. The helicopters can't fly anymore, which means my men have no air cover out there. I can't call them back or the Mutants will retake everything they lost already, I can't attack the blimp because I have no weapons that can destroy. And those bombs at the bottom are there to take out anything that the mutants see fit."

"Don't you have a missile or something?" Cyborg asked

"This isn't an invasion it a peace keeping mission. I have nothing that can get close to that thing and nothing that can take it out."

"Then let us do it." Robin suggested "We can get on board that blimp and shut it down from the inside."

"Its too late," Recon told them "I already informed the major of the situation. He called high command and they're sending over someone to take out the blimp."

"Who?" Robin asked

Recon suddenly turned to the window and stared out at the water. He looked somewhat worried, possibly even scared out of his wits.

"We don't usually use him for these kind of operations, but we have no choice in the matter now."

"Who is he?" Robin pleaded

"A myth, a legend, someone who is famous to every crinimal underground member. He's almost as big a legend to us. He's what you could call Raptoria's greatest hero."

"You don't sound like he's a very good one." said Robin looking at the Raptor who now spoke in a soft and rather calm voice. Possibly trying to hide the small bits of anxiety that we're leaking out.

"He'll complete the mission, he always does. He'll infiltrate that blimp, blow it up and send it crashing to the ground."

"Blow it up!" Robin shouted with surprise

"That how he works." Recon told him

"If he blows that blimp it'll crash into the city with that explosive payload of bombs you say its carrying," Robin yelled "people could get hurt!"

"Its war Robin," Robin said looking over his shoulder "thats what happens."

"Call him off." Robin ordered

"What?" Recon asked

"I said call this guy off, if you know this is what he's going to do stop him. I'm not letting some explosion nut just come here and do whatever damn well pleases!"

"You can't just call this guy up and tell him that his mission is cancelled. You can't call him off period. Theres no do over, no restart button, no time out. This is the real world Robin and in the real world things like this have to happen."

"So this one guy is just going to show up out of nowhere and blow up the blimp from the inside?" Beastboy wondered "Is he like some sort of Special Forces or something."

"He's a commando." Recon told him

"Whatever he is," Robin began "I'm not letting him endanger my city. I'm going to get on that blimp and take control of it."

"There's no time," Recon explained "HQ is already sending him. He'll be here within the hour."

"What, is he coming on a jet?" Cyborg asked

"Actually he was just off the coast on the carrier that is giving us support." Recon answered "He wanted to watch how things were going when he heard what was happening."

"So why don't they use the airplanes on the carrier?" Robin asked

"I told you, that blimp is a certified air fortress. Anyone who gets near it is going to face more firepower then they can handle. Gattling guns, heat-seeking rockets, flak cannons and anti-air defences. It even has some long range ground guns to fire at anything that comes near it on the ground according to scout units."

"The T-Ship can handle anything thrown at it." Cyborg boasted

"Besides," said Robin in a commanding tone "you may be in charge of this terrorist situation but its our job to protect this city. Whether it from that blimp or the commando you're sending to make it crash into the ground."

Recon just lowered his head and sighed then looked back up at the Titans

"Very well," He said "you have one hour to take over the blimp. I can't give you anymore. If you can't take control of it you must get out of there. I can't stop him once he gets inside the blimp. He'll destroy it, with or without you on it."

"Understood." Robin complied as he turned to his teamates "Alright team, we have a lot to do with no time to do it. We need to get on that blimp and take control of it before this commando shows up."

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On the Raptorian Carrier several miles away. A large hulking figure steps into the ship's armoury and walks to the end of the hall. When he reaches it he turns on a light, revealing two pistols, a grenade launcher, a double barrel shotgun, an M60 and a case that holds something very personal towards this Raptor. He places slides the shotgun and machine gun into holsters on his back. He then takes the pistols and grenadce launcher and secures them on his belt. Then he takes the case and walks out of the armoury and back to the top deck.

----------------------------------------------------------

The T-ship approaches its target at full speed.

"Okay team, it took us awhile to get this thing ready to launch." Robin said over the intercom "Especially with all the Raptorian Helicopter's on the roof landing and needing refueling before take off. So that just means we'll have to work fast. Cyborg, how much time do we have?"

"Forty-five minutes." Cyborg told him

"Plenty of time," Robin commented "all we need to do is land the ship on the blimp and get inside."

"But what of the commando?" Starfire asked "What if we are unable to take control of the blimp before the hour is out?"

"Relax Starfire," Robin assured "we'll get in the blimp's control room and steer it towards the ocean where we can land it safely. The commando won't take down the target if the ship is already taken down."

"With the way Recon descirbed him how can you be sure?" Raven asked

"Yeah," Beastboy added "I mean he's going to break into a blimp and blow it up from the inside and then somehow get off it before he explodes it and then survive the thing falling from the sky. Not to mention he's going at it alone. What makes you think he isn't gonna blow it up anyway even if we get it to the ocean?"

"He's a soldier in the Raptorian army," Robin explained "I'm sure he has to follow orders like the rest of them."

"I fear that this Raptor is not as kind or friendly as the rest of them." Star lamented

"What makes you say that?" Cyborg asked

"I looked into Captain Recon's eyes as he spoke of him." She explained "He seemed fearful, worried and frightened. Almost as if he didn't want the commando to come. It almost as if his own species fears him."

"Why would they keep someone in their army if he scares them?" Beastboy asked

"I don't know," Robin answered "but it just another thing to talk about with Recon when we get back."

"Unless the commando kills us first when he blows up the blimp." said Raven in her gloomy voice

At that moment the alarm sensors started pulsating through the ship.

"We have a missile lock!" Cyborg shouted

The team saw two missile heading straight towards them at tremendous speed. The T-ship turns sideways and moves out of the way.

"Forget about the commando," Beastboy shouted "worry about the scary blimp that shoots stuff at us!"

"The missiles are coming back." Cyborg shouted as the lock on alert continued to blare.

As the Titans neared the blimp however the ship's guns opened up on them and more missiles launched at them.

"Cyborg, status report!" Robin ordered

"The missiles I can handle," He said "but the guns are doing their fair share amount of damage without them." Cyborg winced as a nearby panel exploded "Were pretty much outmatched here."

"Anybody have any ideas?" Robin asked as bullets hit his windshield

"Put our heads between our knees and pray." Beastboy suggested

"Don't worry I got it." Cyborg stated as he continued through the field of missiles and guns firing at them. Eventually they had a total of 15 missiles chasing them after what seemed like an eternity of flying around avoid the projectiles. Then Cyborg enacted his plan by head up to top of the blimp and landing. He opened the ship's hatches and shouted "Everyone out! Now!"

The Titans jumped from their ship and ran from it just in time for the missiles to collide with it and explode. While the explosion rocked the blimp, it did not damage it. The blimp was apparently armoured platted to decrease the chances of fire blowing it up. So the good new was the Titans were going to die just yet. The bad news was pointed out by Beastboy.

"Dudes our ride! How are we going to get off this thing now!"

"I hadn't really figured that out." Cyborg admited

"It doesn't matter," Robin stated "we'll get the airship to the water and land it there. What's our time table Cyborg?"

The the cybernetic teen checked his arm clock

"30 minutes."

"Then we have to move now." Robin told them

A gun turret on top of the blimp turned to them. It was a small glass dome with a mutant armed with and anti-air gun aiming at them. He wasn't aiming at air planes but the bullets would do the job just fine. Raven shielded her friends from the bullets while Cyborg lept into the air and fired his sonic cannon at the gun creating a hole down into the inside of the ship.

"Come on." Robin ordered

He ran into the hole and his friends followed

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Back aboard the Raptorian Carrier, the hulking Raptor marched onto the osprey that was to fly him to the blimp. He passed by two saluting Raptorian officers at the osprey's platform and took his seat as the door closed up behind him. The osprey rose up into the sky and started heading towards the city.

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Inside the blimp the fighting was fierce. The Titans made their way down the various scalfolding while fighting the numurous mutant terrorists along the way. Beastboy was going ahead of the group onto different section of the catwalk, mostly using his flying bird method to switch from cat walk to catwalk when he ahd cleared the area of all badguys. Cyborg fired his sonic cannon at the opposing forces. He punched the mutants who got to close. Most of the time he sent them flying off the catwalks. Starfire flung her starbolts at the mutant soldiers as they approched, knocking them down. Raven was doing what she always did when she encoutered them, shielding herself and lfiting the guns right out of their hands and crushing them. Anyone stupid enough to continue the attack was thrown off the side of the catwalk. Robin was having an easy time since his friends were covering his back and he really only needed to worry about close quarters combat. He and the others managed to cut a swaff through the opposing mutants as they made their way to the lower levels of the blimp.

"We're almost there guys" He said "All we need to do is get into the chassis area and find the controls for the blimp."

"Were running out of time Robin," Cyobrg told him "We have less then 15 mintues left and that Commando will be showing up soon."

"We can make it." Robin told him

Starfire busted down the door to the lower levels of the blimp, the chassis area where most of the reel operation was run. They needed to get to the front of the blimp's chassis to find the pilot and take over the blimp. But things still weren't getting easy. As more and more Mutants continued to impede their progress. The minutes ticked away as the Titans fought the mutants through the corridors as they passed the various sleeping quaters and kitchens trying to make it past them all. But every corner and every room held more mutants. They easily took most of them down without trouble but the Titans soon found a more dangerous opponent as they nearted the bridge of the blimp. As they exited through another door they came upon a mutant with four arms holding two large machine guns in his hands. He smirked as began to fire upon them. The Titans ducked behind a corner to avoid getting shot by the mutant.

"Were wasting time." Robin said

"Four minutes Robin," Cyborg reminded him "we have got to move if we wanna make it."

Robin's faced showed his frustration. Suddenly he barreled around the corner and threw and explosive disk at the mutant causing him to fall backwards onto the ground.

"Move!" Robin demanded as the Titans ran to the bridge of the airship. But as they got there they saw the doors slam shut and several other lock in front of it.

"No!" Robin screamed "Everyone, break it down!"

Cyobrg and Starfire punched it as hard as they could, Beastboy charged at it several times as a pygmy rhino and Raven tried to pry it away with her magic. Nothing worked it was too well sealed. Robin in desperation pounded on the door over and over again.

"Listen," he shouted through the door hoping the Mutants would hear him "The blimp is going to explode unless you let us steer this ship to the ocean. The Raptors are sending in a commando to blow this place up you got to-" Robin was cut off by a sudden beeping noise. He turned to Cyborg who was staring at arm clock who only said one thing.

"Time's up."

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Overhead the osprey was flying high above the blimp and inside it the Raptor was arming himself. He stuck on some ear phones and plug the wire into a small mp3 player on his belt. Then he placed a helmet on his head and knocked it around a few time. After this ritual was completed he went over to the case he had carried on. He opened and took out a large yellow chainsaw and held it in one of his hands. An inscription on the blade of the chainsaw said EARL in big letters. The door to the back of the osprey opened and a rope swung down from the top of the ceiling. The Raptor pressed a button on the mp3 player and song 'Let the Good Times Role' began to play. The Raptor saw how far above he was from the blimp and grabbed onto the rope. He slid down it all the way and then let go dropping the rest of the 10 foot drop. When he landed on the top of the blimp the raptor reved his chainsaw and stuck it into the top of the blimp. He cut his way through the armoured plating and jumped down through the hole.

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Robin was frantic.

"We can't quit, we have to break through, we have to-"

"Robin, there is nothing we can do now." Starfire commented

"Maybe the guy is late." Beastboy said optimistically

An explosion was heard at the back of the ship

"Doubtful." Raven immediately commented

"I'm not letting him endanger innocent people." Robin shouted

"We can't do anything man." Cyborg told him "Unless you actually want to go up to this guy and tell him to stop."

"I can try and move the ship out of the way of any civilian homes," said Raven "but we have to get out of here now."

Robin knew that there was nothing he could do and he knew that if his team died on this blimp it would be his fault for voluntering them in the first place. He nooded his head at Raven in defeat.

"Do it." He said

With that Raven used he powers to teleport them to a nearby rooftop and away from the blimp.

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The Commando lurched through the halls of the lower bay. As mutants tried to stop his advance. He fired his shotgun at the opposing foes and watched as they went down. A mutant raced up to him with his knife drawn, but the Raptor grabbed his arm and punched the mutant in the face. He took the knife from him and grabbed a Mutant that came out of a nearby corner with his gun drawn. He lifted the terrorist up and stabbed him in the belly. The mutant let of a string of aimless fire as he fell to the ground. A few more mutants kicked open a nearby door and were met with a grenade to their face as the Raptor lauched it at them. The exploded in a firey blast. Next another Mutant came swinging his gun around and the Raptor kicked him back. While the Mutant was dazed the Raptor took his chainsaw off his back and away from his other weapon and reved it. He swung at the mutant and cut a clean path straight through from the Mutant's shoulder to his belly. Next he saw the door to the engine room and blasted it open with another grenade from his grenade launcher. The explosion took out anyone near the door. They were the lucky ones the remaining engineer cowered for life as the Raptor approached.

"Please, no!" He screamed "I'm just an engineer! I'm unarmed!"

"It doesn't matter to me," The Raptor spoke in a hard shrill rather detached and scary voice "you work for the enemy and therefore you must die."

"Please, have mercy." The engineer pleaded

"Not for you."

The Raptor grabbed the engineer by his shirt threw him into the engine pistons screaming all the way. The Raptor then planted the bombs he had taken with him on the engine. Knowing that their explosion would cause the ship's entire destruction with the bomb racks inches below. The Raptor began to sing along with the final chorus of the song playing through his mp3 player as he walked away from the engine room calmly with detonator in hand

"_Come on baby let the good times roll_

_Come on Baby let me thrill your soul_

_Come on baby let the good times roll,_"

The Raptor pressed the button and sung the last line rather happily

"_ROLL ALL NIGHT LONG!_"

The explosion rocked the entire chassis and he could barely make out his own lyrics, but he smiled all the same.

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The Titans watched in horror as the Blimp's rear end exploded and the airship was engulfed in flames. The airship began to fall towards earth, flaming and falling apart all the way. Raven did as she promised and tried to magically steer the ship away from any possibly civilains but she could not maintian the concentration on the fast moving ship. She managed to get to stay in the air long enough to fall the squar near their pizza parlour hang out and away from any civilians. All that was left of the blimp was a pile of smoldering ass. The Titans approached the burning carcass of the wreck

"I didn't see anyone get off." said Cyborg

"You think that commando is dead?" Asked Beastboy

"No he's not," Said Raven "I sense something, alive and..." She suddenly stopped and clutched her head in pain

"Raven what's wrong?" Robin asked

"Can't...concentrate...too much...too much...pain...the pain...I can't take it! Make it stop! Make it stop!"

Although the Titans could not hear it, Raven was hearing a thousand screaming voices in her head all at once all. Accompanied by gunfire and cries of pain

"Please I beg you!"

:"Dear god! No! I'm sorry!"

"I know how much suffering I have caused, please don't do it!"

"I can pay you."

"I give you a position in my regime."

"Why not join me! I'll make it worth it."

"I so sorry, please, I can make it up!"

"You can't kill me! You can't kill me!"

"You'll never stop me! I'll have my revenge!"

"**KILL ME AND YOUR SOUL WILL BE AS CURSED AS MINE!**"

A final shotgu blast rang out in her mind and Raven collapsed onto the ground.

"Raven!" Her friends shouted

Beastboy ran over to her and brought her to her feet, supporting her with his shoulder

"What happened?" he asked

"I couldn't break contact." She said "I wanted to but I couldn't. So many screams, so many people, so much..." She couldn't go on. She felt like crying but she would not want to give anyone the pleasure of it.

At this moment the burnt out chassis of the blimp broke open and out stepped a Raptor. The Titans finally saw the commando Recon had told them of. He was wearing a helmet with the straps undone and a leather strap vest with two guns, a machine gun and a shotgun on his back. He had shorts on and wore glasses. He was barefoot and holding a chainsaw in one of his hands. He was smiling a toothy and disturbing smile. But his eyes were the scariest part of his appearance. The looked as if they were bloodshot and spirialing around. In fact thay looked like the candy cane stripped. The Raptor looked behind him and saw the burning blimp. And he began to laugh. He laughed a joyous and happy laugh but something was different about it. His laugh sounded sinister and maniacal. Robin had heard such laughter from the Joker during his Gotham days. It made him wince. Starfire was afraid of this knew kind of laughter. Laughter was suppose to be a sign of happiness. But this laughter did not sound that way. The Raptor in front of her was laughing at the destruction he caused. Beastboy, Raven and Cyobrg were all wide eyed with shock at the Raptor's actions. If they didn't know any better they'd say this guy was a new villian they had to stop. The Raptor suddenly stopped laughing and turned to the Titans. He marched towards them and saluted, still with that snister smile on his face. He spoke in his gruff and frighting voice.

"Lieutenant Ryan the Raptor of the Raptorian Special Forces" He said "but you may call me the Insano Commando. My card." The Raptor passed Robin a small card that read:

Ryan The Raptor

Insano Commando

Cleaning the World up, One Scum Sucker at a Time

Robin was going to have a lot more questions to ask Recon when they got back.

* * *

So what were all those voices in Rae's head. I'm sure you can guess on your own, but I'll confirm those beliefs by the next chapter. Please review and tell your friends about me. I love constructive criticism. 


	6. Orange Juice and Psychopaths

The chapter was supposed to be longer but unfortunately I though it ran on too long so I stopped it at a cliffhanger and just revealed a litle more about Ryan himself. Not too much though. Anyway here it is.

* * *

Chapter 6: Orange Juice and Psychopaths

When the Titans had returned to the Tower with they're newest Raptor aquaintence in toe they were still in a state of shock. All Lieutenant Ryan could talk of was the look on the face of this one Mutant he killed. He also described many of the terrorists who on the blimp's deaths. All in great and lengthy detail. From the moment he saw the Mutant to end of the confrontation where he fell dead. Ryan's eye for such things was as impressive as it was disturbing. Robin himself wanted Recon to explain what kind of sick joke this was. How could someone who was so obviously demented be in the army. This Raptor was dangerous and he wanted to know all he could. He needed to be sure his team would be safe. After what happened with Raven he was already in doubt that they were. Raven in the meantime was trying to go over exactly what had happened. She had locked on Ryan's life energy no doubt but unlike most of the time she coudln't disengage once she had sensed his presence. Something went wrong and she deduced that it had something to do with that Raptor and his mind. Two seconds within the door and Ryan was already over at the kitchen's small refrigerator rumaging around. When he emerged he brought up a jug of Orange Juice with him, then he began to drink straight from it like a disobident house guest. He only stopped to take a small breath and look at the Titans. The fact that he was drinking a fruit beverage was what concerned them. All of them pretty much knew that Raptors were carnivorous dinosaurs.

"Its mine!" The Raptor screamed hugging the jug "Anyone touches it and I'll kill you in your sleep!" Ryan continued to slurp down the orange beverage muttering phrases such as "Sweet nectar of the gods, blessed gift of heaven, only the immortals would bestow upon earth such a delicious fruit."

"This person has by far the worst table manners I hav eever seen." thought Raven "And I've seen Beastboy eat."

When Ryan ran out and relaized there was no more he looked at the Titans like they were fools for not buying more than one jug and dug around in baggy shorts for several oranges he already had with him. Thumbling around in the cupboards Ryan finally emerged with a juicer and began to cut and squeeze his oranges one by one.

"Gotta have more," he said "need to refuel!"

By this point the Titans realized that asking the question of why he was treating a fruit like a drug would be a bad idea. So they simply backed off. Leading them all into the path of the Turagut brothers.

"I see you guys met the Lieutenant." Said Rack

"You know him?" Robin asked rather astonished

"Yeah," answered Roger "its funny story actually you see-"

"We usually get stuck on missions with him." said Rack cutting off Roger

"At least when he's on site you know things are going to explode." said Reige "Makes the whole thing way more exciting."

It almost as if they were obvious to the fact that Ryan wasnh't all there

"Did you ever notice he was a little off?" Robin asked

"Do we look blind?" Reige asked

"No Reige you don't." Roger answered

"That was a rethorical question you idiot." Reige shouted back

Snipe finally stepped in front of Reige cutting him off

"Yes, we know he is insane." said Snipe "It's hard not to notice. It better if the Captain explained."

"I was going to ask him myself." Said Robin "Where is he?"

"He was speaking with Rash last time I saw him" Said Rack looking around and then spotting the Captain coming through a nearby door. "There he is."

Robin immediately went over to Recon

"We need to talk." He insisted

"Obviously you've met Ryan." Said Recon "Fine come with me."

Recon led the Titans over to the usual spot in the living room area. Ryan was too busy with his Orange Juice to care about what they were talking about.

"First things first Recon," Robin began "who the heck is this guy?"

"Ryan is one of Raptoria's most accomplished soldiers." Recon responded "He's gone on more missions and gone to more places then many of us have in our whole lives. And he belongs to Raptorian Special Forces. He is one of the few members of our Commando division."

"How many are there?" Robin asked in a low tone with his eyes squinting

"Counting him, two."

"So where's the other one?" asked Cyborg

"On another mission somewhere I believe, its classified."

"Okay and whats with this one and orange juice?" Asked Beastboy

"Its his favourite drink." Recon explained "He's probably the only Raptor who drinks fruit beverages. I've never seen him drink anything else."

"Please," Starfire said lifting up a hand "may I ask the question we have all wanted answers of?" The others nodded and gave Star the go ahead "Friend Recon, are all your Commandos, as Robin would put it, missing a few of the slices of loaved bread?"

Recon perched an eyebrow

"He showed you his card didn't he?" He asked

"Yes" The Titans all responded

"Let me explain," Recon began "Ryan's mental state is not an act. He is legally insane by psychiatric terms."

"Ya think?" Said Beastboy "I believe the chainsaw he lugs around was a big give away."

"Earl."

"Huh?" asked Beastboy looking at the Raptor with a confused face

"The Chainsaw's name is Earl." Recon told him

"He named his chainsaw?" Raven asked in bewilderment

"Its basically his best friend." Recon answered

"If his insanity isn't fake," Robin began "how come he's still in the army?"

"Its a complicated case." Recon explained "You see Ryan never had a good life. Its better if he tells you his story, but basically the army isn't much different from his civilian life. Killing is really all he knows. The only difference is with the military he feels respected and we can somewhat control who or what he kills. His insanity is a rather unique form, it includes frequent mood swings and certain forms of psychosis and schizophrenia, his condition also seems to make him a better soldier and not a worse one so there is no reason to get rid of him. And because he can still distinguish from right and wrong it means that in Raptoria's book he's perfectly suited for combat duty."

"Raptoria maybe, but not here." Robin explained "That Raptor is not mentally sound in any case and therefore he's a liability. I'm not going to work with him."

"In war Robin you have to put aside your anger displeasure towards others." Recon explained "If you don't you won't get very far."

"The blimp is gone," Robin elaborated "he can go. We don't need him."

"While I may rank higher then him I can't tell him to leave." Recon explained "He takes his deployment order from headquarters. He'll only leave when command tells him to leave."

Robin stepped up to the Captain and looked him in the eye

"Fine, we'll play it your way." He said stepping back "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Fine by me." said Recon

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All of Robin's questions and so were many of the Titan's questions. But Raven still had no answer to the question that was bugging her. She needed to know what those voices in her head meant. She had an idea but she needed to be sure. She decided to ask Rack the question as she passed by him.

"Rack," She asked "how many people has Ryan...killed?"

"Hard to say," He said "you'd need to be specific."

"How many really important people has he killed recently?"

"We'll he has been taking on a lot of solo missions across the globe," Rack explained "the usual anti-terrorist stuff. A drug lord there, a military coup leader here, an African Dictator, a couple of Guerilla fighters and I think one real nasty fella who was a very religious cult leader. Ryan said something about that one cursing his soul or something."

The next few words seemed to form out of no where from Raven's mouth.

"Kill me and your soul will be as cursed as mine." She said, quietly repeating the last voice she had heard.

"Huh?" Asked Rack

"Nothing," She said coming out of her daze "Thanks Rack, you helped me figure out something." She trudged off leaving the Raptor to scratch his head

"Pft, girls" He said shrugging it off

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"So you now know what happened out there because of this?" Robin asked Raven who had stopped both him and Beastboy in the hall and explained what Rack had told her

"Precisely," She explained "when I lock onto to a person's life essence I pick up a little bit of their brainwaves as well. So I inevitably hear their thoughts. When I did it with Ryan I picked up a layer of his mind that was going over all the people he has apparently killed. And the last words they spoke before Ryan killed them."

"Nasty." said Beastboy

"But we already know he likes killing people." Robin reminded her

"It didn't sound like he was thinking over their deaths because he liked it," Raven told him "the more primary train of thought was that they deserved it. That he wiped them from the face of the earth to teach them a lesson. It was satisfying to him not because he liked killing them but he liked showing them how it felt. He kills out of revenge Robin, out of hatred, not out of bloodlust."

"Well, that's good." Said Beastboy before curiously adding "Right?"

"Actually," Raven elaborated "that hate of the enemies he killed stems from a past trauma. Something he expierenced over and over again. You heard Recon, he didn't have a good life, killing is all he knows. And the more people he kills the more deterioated his mind becomes."

"Are you sure?" Robin asked

"He's not well Robin," she told him "he's sick. There is something inside of him he is trying to fight, something evil that wants to get out. And it stems from that past trauma that he's holding onto."

"You picked up all that from sensing his mind and hearing a couple of dead guys talk to you inside your head and all within a couple of seconds?" Beastboy asked

"It wasn't all clear to me at the time, but after I figured out what the voices were it was simple to decifer."

"So what's our time table?" Robin asked

"Yeah, how long till OJ drinker snaps his twig?" Asked Beastboy

"I don't know for sure," Raven said rubbing her forehead "a month, a decade, tommorow, it could be at anytime. More the reason I think we should help him."

"Help him?" Robin asked

"Yes, help him. I need to go inside his mind and try to fix whatever damage there is. Then I can-"

"No." said Robin sternly

"What?" Raven wondered

"Absolutely no," Robin repeated "the last time you contacted his mind you got hurt. If you go inside who knows what might happen."

"But Rob, what if she's right?" Beastboy asked "What if he looses it and goes on a freaking rampage?"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take. If the situation arises we'll be able to handle it." Robin told them "I'm not letting anyone endanger themselves by playing around in someone elses' head."

"I know what to expect now I'll be fine." said Raven

"The answer is no!" Robin stated "You will not go into his mind. Not only could you hurt yourself but you could also damage his brain even more. You'll stay out of it, that's an order."

There was now no way of contradicting Robin, not after that. Once he ordered something arguements were futile.

"Fine." Raven said lowering her head with a sigh

Robin walked away leaving Beastboy and Raven alone.

"I think this whole military thing is making him more and more Robinish by the second." said Beastboy

Raven looked at him with her monotone face

"Robinish is not a word." She told him

"You know what I mean."

"He's as stubborn as usual thats for sure."

"Well he does have a point about you hurting yourself in there." Beastboy explained "I mean this Ryan guy is crazy. Who knows what you might find. Why do you want to help him anyway?"

"I know what its like to have inner demons Beastboy, no one should have to go through what I have."

"Well maybe you should just put that whole brain exploration thing on hold," Beastboy suggested "you know at least until we know more about the guy."

"I suppose that makes sense." Raven replied "I'll need to look over several books to prepare for the proccedure. That and we'll have to study the subject more carefully."

"This doesn't mean we have to spend more time with him right?" Beastboy asked

"Think of it as Jane Goodall and the chimps." Raven told him

Beastboy didn't really consider that a good comparrison.

"Goodall never had to worry about the chimps slicing her head off with a chainsaw."

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Although Starfire was warry of her new guest she decided that it would be best if Ryan at least had some form of a meal before he had to do battle again. So after making a fresh batch of Glorck she was hoping to recieve the same rave reviews from Ryan as the Turagut brothers. Instead she was pulled into the weirdest conversation of her life.

"Please Friend, try the Glorck. Your fellow Raptors love it so."

"Is it bathed in the blood of my enemies?" Ryan asked

"Uh, I am not sure." Starfire replied "Would you like it to be?"

"Hell no, it would spoil the Orange juice I'm about to pour on it!" Ryan did just that as he tipped pitcher of orange juice on the alien meal "Oh yes, freshly squeezed from Florida itself. How I love you sunshine state."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Stafire said politely trying to avoid eye contact "Please tell me why you drink the juice of oranges so much. Recon was not one to elaborate fully on the subject."

"Becasue oranges are the gift from god himself!" He told her

"I was not aware of this."

"Of course you aren't. No one else is. They're uninformed. Its like they are blind to fact that this fruit is from Jesus himself. Its like I exist here so that oranges may give their substance and life force up to me."

"I see." Starfire was trying to be polite but the fact that Ryan was now talking to the orange was not helping it

"What's that little fruit of life, you wish for me to slice your belly open and drink from your insides? Very well!" Ryan placed the orange on the ground and took up his Chainsaw from the bottom of his seat and reved it. Ryan then cut the orange in half and placed both the halves on the table. Then he positioned the chainsaw into the seat beside him. "Alien girl, EARL, EARL, Alien Girl."

Starfire was definetly confused, for she was positvely certain that chainsaws did not talk. But she did not know if the case was different with this one. So she tried her best to be friendly.

"Um, hello friend EARL...you are looking...well today."

EARL just sat there and said nothing, as a regular chainsaw should. Ryan however seemed to speak chainsaw.

"Yes EARL, shes cute and everything but she's taken I think...all the good ones are taken...whatever man, your funeral...why do you want me to ask? Oh so because I'm clinically insane and you're just a figment of my imagination I have to talk for you all the time...Fine, I will!" Ryan turned to Stafire "EARL wants to know if you're single."

Starfire was by now even more confused

"Um, yes EARL." She said to the chainsaw "But I am afraid common Earthly construction tools are not really my type, as the saying goes I believe."

"Told you it wouldn't work." Ryan said to the Chainsaw as he now began to stuff his face with the Glorck. "Hm, this stuff is good. Especially with the orange juice I added. Hey EARL you going to eat your slice?...Big baby, fine! I'll eat it because you're so freakin depressed now." Ryan began to suck the juices out of the orange half that was in front EARL.

The Chainsaw still said nothing and Ryan was too busy talking to himself, the Chainsaw and Stafire back and forth in that order to recieve Starfire's thanks. If this kept up Starfire was going to go as insane as Ryan. So she quietly floated away. Ryan didn't seem to notice Starfire was gone at all, even when he looked at the spot where she had been. Apparently Ryan did not even need Starfire in the room to carry a conversation with her because a few minutes later Starfire swore she saw Ryan look at the place she was standing before in the kitchen and said

"Its pronouced shopping mall, not mall of shopping. Geez you aliens."

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Recon in the meantime was examining possible hideouts for Karvisko and his top aides. Thanks to Robin and his team he had identified two of three of them. The first was the Mutant strongman that Starfire and Cyborg had encountered, Sergey, who was obviously a wrestler in his spare time. The bloodsucking mad colonel known as Vlad Alexsander who had the strange habit for sucking the blood of his enemies. The one terrorist who was unrecognized was the one who had called himself the Cockroach. An apparent nod to bug he shared his DNA pattern with. Although he was unable to put a face to Mutant he was able to bring up a file on him. He was Karvisko's most trusted operative and apparently trained in the more elite ranks of his Division. No one really knew his name, only his alias. The question of who he really was exactly could only be answered by him Karvisko. At least Recon knew that wherever Cockroach was Karvisko would be close by. It was getting close to sunset now and the city had succesfully be quarintined. Meaning the Mutants were trapped inside the very City they had invaded and with the attack on stadium eliminating most of their supplies they would need to think of another strategy. One thing was for sure the Mutants would get more desperate now and that was never a good thing. Recon eventually found a place where Karvisko might be hiding, the mall. According to patrol teams nearby, a small convoy of Mutants was headed towards the mall. One of them on foot looked like a giant Cockroach as described by one Raptor. Recon now believed the mall was where Karvisko was hiding. So he made the nessecary preparations for an assault.

Arriving just outside in the main parking lot of the mall were several APCs. A few of them carrying the Titans, Ryan, Recon and the Turagut brothers. All prepared for the fight that was to come ahead.

"Okay everyone this mission is simple," Recon began "we have team that are going simultaneously breach from all entrances. We have the place surrounded. The objective is to neutralize the enemy presence. And if my hunch is correct find and Karvisko and take him down."

It was at this time that Ryan lumbered out of the APC and to the breifing area Recon and the Titans were centered in.

"Okay sir," he said "I'm locked, loaded and EARL's chain has been lubricated for maximum carnage. Who do I have to kill?"

"Just do your regular thing okay, but no theatrics okay." Recon ordered "This city has suffered enough."

Robin bent over to Recon's side and whispered to him

"I want someone to go with him. I don't trust him enough to be on his own."

"Ryan tends to work alone." Recon explained

"He get a chaperone. Now."

Recon turned to Ryan.

"Lieutenant, you'll need to be accompanied by someone."

"Say what?" The commando grumbled

"One of the Titans will be escorting you. They probably know the area better then you."

"I can find my way around just fine." Ryan told him "I just need to look at the big glowing light map stand thing."

"Me and Beastboy will with him." Raven said raising her hand

"Us?" Squeeked Beastboy hoping it was a cruel joke

"Yes us." Raven repeated "I think it would best if we both escorted him."

"Three man fire team," said Recon "makes sense. Alright Ryan you're with Raven and Beastboy."

"Oh." The commando whined "No fair." He sharply turned his head to the two Titans "Just stay the hell out of my way got it?"

"Yeah, got it, sure." Beastboy said frantically

"Come friends," Starfire chirpped "let us liberate the Mall of Shopping from our vile enemy."

As Beastboy and Raven followed Ryan to their designated entry point, Beastboy decided to ask Raven something about their present situation.

"Why did you sign us up to team up with the insane one again?"

Raven just looked at him

"It will give us a chance to observe him more throughly."

"I thought you were just going to watch a dinosaur special on the learning channel or talk to him over a cup of tea." Said Beastboy "I didn't think you were going to suggest talking to him when he's in kill mode."

"Ryan's mental state is at its weakest when he is fighting. I can learn more about if I observe him while he is in it."

"Would you too shut up back there!" Ryan yelled back to them "Not that I care what you're talking about but I'm trying to hear myself think."

"I'd hate to know exactly what he's thinking of." Beastboy said quietly

"Isn't that why we're here?" Asked Raven

* * *

Next time, the action packed scene in the mall, Karvisko's appearance finally revealed and Ryan's battle mode sadism side of his personality gone into more detail. Should be interesting. 


	7. Shopping for Terrorists

So heres Chapter seven, or chapter 6 part two if you tie them together. The sun is going down over Jump City mall and the Titans and the Raptors are about to take down some evil terrorist mutants. They have to find Karvisko and if possible take him down. And once again our story's original characters the mutants and the raptors are the only this I own. The Titans are owned by DC and CN and stuff. Anyway, here it is read and review.

* * *

Chapter 7: Shopping for Terrorists

With a sudden jerk the front door of the mall burst with a bang and the Raptor's began their intial assault on the building complex. The skylights were broken through as Raptorian soldiers slid down the ropes. The mutants guarding the front entrance were small in number and quickly dispatched. This gave the Raptors and Titans time to get their barings and move out. Recon took the Turagut squad over to food court while Starfire insisted that Robin and Cyborg come with her to the women's clothing department. Apparently she wanted to pick out some new clothes while she was here. Robin wanted to tell her that the Mall's staff wasn't there at the moment but she was already pulling them in that direction. This left Ryan, Beastboy and Raven alone with each other.

"You think this place looks like that mall with all the zombies from that movie?" Ryan asked

"Why does that matter at this point?" Raven asked back

"No reason." The commando replied "Just one of those random thoughts. Get them all the time. Better get going. Just stay out of my way ya little hailess monkeys."

Ryan marched on ahead while Beastboy and Raven lingered for a mere second

"Hairless? Doesn't he notice I have green fur?" Beastboy asked

"Let it go Beastboy." Raven told him

"But seriously I have green fur. You'd think he'd notice."

Entering the Food Court, Recon and the Turaguts looked around the area.

"Nothing here," Recon stated "at least nothing visible."

"I smell ambush." Rack said

"I smell hot dogs." said Roger earning him looks from the other Raptors "What?"

"Nevermind." Recon told him as he took out a grenade and threw it into one of the Food Court's many boutiques.

"Ah man, not the Sushi place!" Roger pleaded

The resulting explosion surprised the Mutants in hiding behind the counters of the restuarants and some of them popped up to see what happened. When they noticed the Raptors they began to open fire. Luckily the group had ducked behind a small wall seperating them from the dining area.

"Okay, we got the scary people with guns' attention." Reige chuckled "NOW WHAT?" He screamed

Recon looked over to Snipe

"Snipe, get up to the balcony above us and keep those little bastards off us. We'll head for the restaurant I blew out."

"On it." Said Snipe beofre heading off

"Hopefully some sushi survived." Roger thought

"Its probably covered in shrapnel." Rack told him

"I can eat around it." Roger replied

"Will you shut up and move!" Reige yelled.

Snipe had made it to the area over looking the food court and began firing on the overwhelming amount of mutants that were covering the place. He couldn't see some of the restaurants counters from overhead so he would have to move around from side to side to lay down some fire. Meanwhile, while Snipe kept some of the Mutants' heads low, Recon and the other Turagut brother made their way to the Sushi place.

"Now what cap?" Asked Rack

"We make a hole Sargeant." Recon answered

"Say what?" Rack said bewildered

"All these restaurants are side by side, we just use a powerful enough explosion and we can easily blast through them and clean them out one by one." Recon turned to Reige "You got the explosives soldier?" He asked the New York Turagut

"Course I do." He said producing some C4 "I got enough to help us give all these places a a drive-thru window."

"Not funny." Rack told him

"Oh what do you know about funny?" Reige asked

"Enough to know you aren't." His older brother told him

"Shut the chatter boys and lets get moving." Recon ordered "Set the Explosives up in the kitchen in the back. Walls should be thinest there."

"You go on," Roger told them "I need me some of that delicious Japanese shrimp"

"The next diner is a 'White Castle' hamburger joint Roge'." Reige teased

Immediately Roger just grabbed one of the small shushi rolls in front of him and made his way to the back

"Come on blow this here wall!" He pleaded "We have us some burgers to rustle!"

"Gets him everytime" Reige smirked

The raptor stuck the explosive on the wall and ran back to a safe distance. Reige hit the detonator and blew the wall in. The squad rushed through, catching the Mutants by surprise on the other side. They were quickly dealt with.

"Okay lets get the next one." Recon told them keeping his head low from the Mutants now firing on their position.

Roger stuffed as many White Castles burgers as he could into his mouth before they blew up the next wall and ran into the neighbouring restaurant. As long as Reige didn't run out of explosives they'd be done in no time.

Meanwhile, Robin, Cyborg and Starfire were fighting on the second floor of the mall down in the clothing area. Starfire was clearing out the Mutants from her favourite store at the moment. She was rather angry that they had decided to invade it. The Mutants never stood a chance. Some of them even ran to Robin and Cyborg seeking help.

"Please! Arrest me! She's crazy!" Said one mutant with a broken Gas Mask which had a missing eye plate.

Any surrendering Mutants had to be led away by other Raptor squads passing by. They would take them back to the main entrance and find a way to deal with them there. Along the way to their next target (Another store on Starfire's list) They noticed several other Raptorian soldiers clearing the stores out. One by one it seemed that the Raptors were taking back the mall. But it would mean nothing to Robin if they didn't find this Karvisko character. As they entered the store Starfire had led them two, Robin sensed something wrong. The lights being out were one of the main problems.

"Cyborg," He said "Scan the area."

"Alright, just a sec." After awhile of looking around the area with his robotic eye he soon detected another lifeform in the room "We got company."

"Starfire." Robin said "Light."

Starfire light her hands to reveal a green glow upon the store and something scurrying away from it.

"Roaches," Robin said "always run away when you turn on the lights. Its hard to defy your nature isn't it Cockroach?"

The Mutant Insectoid lizard crawled back up from behind the counter and a few light fixtures flickered on. But most of the lights were broken. The Mutants was still wearing the gas mask that only covered half his face and still holding two weapon in his hands.

"So, the little birdie brought some of his superhero buddies along this time?" The Cockroch mocked

"Where's Karvisko?" Robin asked sternly

"Sorry, not telling." The Cockroach said, he then fired his guns at the Titans. The Teens ran for cover behind the displays of the various items for sale. "Time for the bug to swat the humans!" The mutant laughed

"You shall be swating no one." Starfire told him as she fired a starbolt at him. The insect scurried away just in time.

"If you want to find the General," He said to Robin as he approached "try and follow, if you can American!"

The Cockroach busted down a small vent beside him and scurried through.

"He's in the ventalation system." Robin said staring down the hole in the wall "Cyborg, where does this vent lead?"

Cyborg looked at his arm

"According to the schematics of the complex I pulled up," said Cyborg "it leads straight to the basement. From there he could head to any store in the mall."

"Not any store," Robin told him "The one with Karvisko in it. We need to follow him. What's the fastest way to the basement."

"Down an employees only staircase a few meters down." Cyborg told him

"Lets move then."

The three Titans headed to the stairs as fast as they could.

Raven, Beastboy had pretty much stayed behind Ryan. They didn't really have much to do since any lone Mutant that showed up got gunned down by Ryan instantly. The Raptor just looked straight ahead and kept on walking not even looking at the guy he just killed. Finally Ryan stopped walking when he came to a video store.

"Why are we stopping here?" Asked Beastboy

"I wanted to see what they got." Ryan told him

"You mean the only reason we came this way was because you wanted to pick up a movie?" Raven asked

"Yes," Ryan told them "why? Did you think I was given special orders or something?"

"Yes! We did." Beastboy said "You'd have to be flipping mental to pick this as a time to buy a movie."

"Well I think my intention was rather obvious." Ryan told him before heading off into the store

"How did he make it obvious?" Beastboy asked to Raven "How is it that you can make something that obscure obvious by shooting anything that comes down the hall?"

Raven didn't answer, mostly because she was finding herself agreeing with Beastboy more and more. When they entered the semi dark store Ryan was shuffling through several films in the DVD pile.

"No, no, no, pretty damn dull, no, no, boring, crap, hey 'Red Dawn' that seems apporiate for the present situation."

"Oh brother." Raven said rubbing her forehead

"Well," Said Beastboy shrugging "might as well pick up the latest Ninja movie while I'm here, maybe a Monster film or cartoon as well."

"Just don't be long okay." Raven told him

Beastboy went off to look at the various stacks of movies to buy while Ryan continued shuffling thorugh the bin.

"Man, don't they got that film about the killer plant of death that sings?" Ryan wondered "How about some slasher flicks? Those are always a gas. Maybe they got a copy of the director's cut of The Exorcist. That movie was funny!"

Raven shook her head at the Raptor as he continued to thumb through the pile. When she sensed something behind her, a rather familiar presence but as she turned to face it Ryan rushed over and punched it backwards. Whatever it was appeared to have been three inches away from her neck. Beastboy heard the commotion and ran back up to the two who were no staring at the black lump on the floor. The lump soon got to it feet and spread its wings. It was Colonel Vlad Aleksander again. Looking more blood crazed then ever.

"Curse you!" He screamed "I was so damn close you filthy Raptorian. I was so close to her delicious blood!"

"Oh shut up pal, I tried blood once it sucked." Ryan replied "You should get off the stuff."

"For the last time you freak," Beastboy told the Colonel "leave her alone."

"You're lucky you had that Raptor with you." The bat-dino said to Raven "but niether him nor your little green boyfriend can save you this time."

"Boyfriend?" Raven said with a tinge of shock

"I'm not her boyfriend." Beastboy told him

"Why not?" Asked Ryan "You two look cute together."

"Stay out of this." Raven and Beastboy shouted in unison

"Enough of this! "Vlad shouted "I must suppress my hunger!" He leapt for Raven "Give me your blood!"

Beastboy was one step ahead of him. He knocked him away with the trunk of an Indian Elephant and into a stack of DVDs.

"Finally!" Said Ryan as the Colonel began to get up."Action time!" Ryan tackled the Dino-bat and kicked him into the wall behind him. Ryan ran at him, hoping to smash him into the wall further. But the Colonel dodged out of the way and flew to the entrance of the store. Ryan got his head out of the drywall he smacked into and dragged himself back to the two Titans. Vlad was now looking at Raven and baring his fangs once again

"Your blood shall be mine my dear." He said "This time I brought help!" He lifted up his walkie talkie and spoke into it "Move in now!"

Several Mutant Soldiers blocked the exit to the video store behind the colonel and drew their guns.

"Eliminate the males!" The colonel ordered "But capture the girl!"

The Mutants began to march on the three hereos.

"Okay," Beastboy said "I never want to volunteer to go with the crazy Raptor commando again."

The yet another explosion blew in the wall to the a neighbouring restaurant and the Raptors ran in. The Mutant inside were prepared after all the other restaurants had been blasted into. However their defence didn't last very long. The overwhelming ods took them and the Raptors won out. At last Recon and the Turaguts had eliminated the last of the mutant soldiers.

"Well that does it for this end." Recon said "We best try and meet up with the Titans and see how they are doing."

Snipe arrived as soon as they left the restaurant. Realizing the battle was over.

"Well that was a wonderful little excursion." He said looking around at the area "And Reige got to commit a large ammount of property damage meaning he's perfectly happy."

"Hey he told me to do it." Reige replied pointing to Recon

Rack in the meantime was counting heads and noticed one Raptor was missing.

"Say where did Roger go?" Rack asked

Roger was over by the Hot Dog restaurant he smelled earlier. With his face stuck half way inside the hot dog storage area and the lid thrown off to the side

"Hey these ones are 100 beef." Roger said with admiration "Don't see that much anymore."

At this point he was knocked back several feet into the air and landed head first at the feet of his brothers.

"You know," The Raptor groaned "I am getting real sick and tired of this."

"You okay?" Rack asked

"Yeah, the body fat helps cushion the fall." Roger explained as he lifted himself up into a sitting position "I just wanna know what hit me."

"That would be me comrade Raptor." A voice said from the hot dog stand. It was none other then Sergey standing rather proudly on top of the counter with a smug grin on his face. Recon had never met him, but based on Cyborg's discription he knew who it was.

"Lieutenant Sergey." Recon announced "I suppose you enjoy hitting unsuspecting Raptors when they are trying to eat something."

"He should have been watching his ass." Sergey told him "Thats what got you Raptors screwed before. You let your guard down for instant and Mutentica swarmed all over your pathetic island."

"Hey check the history books Red." Reige mocked "We kicked your ass all the way back to mommyland and captured that ass wad of a leader of yours Stabasaurus."

"In his undies I might add." Roger said getting off the floor.

"Perhaps," Sergey admited "you did take us down. But ever since that day I realized the problem. Stabasaurus was a fool. Blind by his lavish palaces and rich standing as the leader. When he began to lose it all he panicked and lost the intiative. If Mother Mutentica wishes to return to its true glory then new leaders must be found. Someone stronger then Stabasaurus, with more guts and more determination and will. A leader who is willing to keep his hold on power by any means nessecary and does not cower in fear under his desk when the enemy is on his door step. Such is a person like Karvisko, unlike Stabasaurus he has no desires of money and wealth. Only power and strength. We shall root out the weak from the party and replace it with strong minded soldiers who will do everything they are told without question. Once he takes power as the country's new leader we shall bring back the glory days of Mutentica. Karvisko will lead us into a new Soviet dawn and I will be one of the many people to be by his side all the way."

"Yeah, yeah," Rack said waving his hand "evil monologue, take over the world, 'I expect you to die Mr. Bond', We've heard it all before." Rack turned to Recon "Cap can we just shoot this six armed nutjob and get out of here."

"Perhaps you would like to see my other arms?" Sergey asked as his tentacles reached around his back and pulled four Heavy machine guns. His octopi arms were so strong he had no trouble lifting them into poistion. His two actual arm pulled out two seperate SMGs from their holsters. In all, six guns were now aimed at the five Raptors, not ver good odds.

"Eep." Squeeked Roger

"Brothers," Rack began "Cap, I think it would be a good idea to institute my favourite strategy for this kind of situtation."

"What would that be Sargeant?" Recon asked

"Run like hell!" Rack screamed

"With you on that." Recon replied

The Raptors turned and ran to escape the food court as Sergey began to fire all six weapons at them.

"Run as fast as you can little capitalists!" Sergey shouted "You'll end up dead in the end."

Sergey began to follow after them, aiming his guns straight ahead as he walked.

Robin, Starfire and Cyborg had reached the basement and began to search for The Cockroach.

"Alright then guys," said Cyborg "if you were a bug/dinosaur hybrid where would you hide?".

"Perhaps he is in a rather large rug." Starfire implied "I have often heard that bugs can be found snug in these rugs."

Robin just sighed at the alien girl's naivety.

"Well that's pretty much the best idea we have." He said "Either that or he's already left to go see Karvisko anyway."

"Which means it could take hours to find him." said Cyborg

"Perhaps a motel for roaches would help draw out the fiend." Starfire suggested

"Considering how much of bug he is it could work." Robin responded "Problem is it would have to be a pretty big motel."

"Maybe I can do a scan for some kind of trace of him." Cyborg suggested clicking some button on his arm.

"I wish friends Raven and Beastboy were here." said Starfire "Perhaps they could track the villianous Cockroach."

"They have enough problems with that commando they're watching." Robin told her "I'd rather lose Karvisko then have this entire building implode on me."

"And lose him you shall." The familiar voice of Cockroach spoe behind them. The Titans turned to see the Mutant driving a large forklift at the end of the hallway. "I found this thing in the garage, and its just big enough to fit in into the basement halls. Lucky me, unlucky you!" The Mutant pushed the vehicle into full throttle and the machine raced straight at them.

"Duck!" Robin shouted.

Starfire flew out of the way and Robin pressed him self hard against the wall. Cyborg rolled into a nearby connecting hallway and as soon as the forklift passed he jumped back out and fired his sonic cannon at it. The forklift exploded and pretty much skid to a halt. Miraculously, Cockroach scurried away unhindered.

"You can't kill two of history's oldest living creatures that easily!" The mutant shouted back laughing as he squeezed himself into another vent. This time large enough to fit one of the Titans.

"I think I can follow him." Robin said turning to Cyborg "Where does this vent lead?"

"Ah man," Cyborg said looking at his arm "it heads on right to my favourite Sportswear shop. Thats one of the biggest stores in the mall. And if its still under Mutant control it could have a thousand bad guys in there. Cockroach might be leading you into a trap."

"Well we'll have a surprise for him. Go back up and find Captain Recon. Tell him where I'm going to find Cockroach and meet me there."

"Sure thing." Cyborg responded

"Please do be careful Robin." Starfire pleaded

"Don't worry I'll be fine." Robin slid into the vent and began to crawl after Cockroach

The battle inside the video store was fierce. The mutant soldiers rushed at the two Titans and their Commando companion. Beastboy morphed into an armadillo and rolled his way to the back of the opposing line before charging back through as an Elephant and knocking the mutants aside. Raven managed to knock many of the soldiers away, but Vlad was pushing through them and trying to get to her. Raven decided to focus more on him then the others. Raven's magic seemed to not effect him however. Ryan in the meantime was using his shotgun to shoot/club the mutants attacking him. One Mutant opened fire from a distance and Ryan ducked behind a stack of DVDs to avoid the incoming fire.

"Ah screw the gun play." He said "Time to get up close and personal with these commie idiots." Ryan pulled EARL off his back and reved him hard. Leaping out from the stack he rushed the shooting Mutant and sliced him across the chest. (I will not describe that any further. Its a chainsaw slicing living tissue, what do you think happened?) Another slice came at the mutants coming from behind across their faces. (Once again, I'm not describing anything else)

Beastboy was now in the form of a gorilla and pumelling the mutants coming at him. One by one, they fell to the ground as Beastboy knocked them silly. Thats when Raven called out to him.

"Beastboy," She shouted while trying maintain focus on Colonel Vlad as he tried to withstand her sustained magical blast "A little help please?"

"Hold on Rae." He said briefly turning back into a human and rushing at the bat-dino at full speed. He collided into the Colonel as a Tiger and pinned him into a rack of DVDs.

"You cannot protect her forever shapeshifter." The mutant said "I shall taste her blood."

Beastboy returned to his normal form for a short second

"Dude, you need to lay off the vampire flicks for a few centuries." Beastboy then turned into mountain gorilla and threw the mutant officer clear across the room.

"Thanks for the save." Raven said floating over

"No problem," Beastboy told her "that guy really needs a reality check."

The colonel got back on his feet again and charged at the two Titans again. Only to be deflected by Ryan as the Raptor tail swipped him right out of the store and into the window of the store across the street.

"He's not the only one." Raven said, finally replyinh to Beastboy's reality check comment.

The colonel got to his feet once more and flew away from the video store.

"Good ridance to him." Ryan said peering over at the departing colonel. Then he noticed a Mutant trying to sneak out the back of the store. "Hey where the hell are you going?"

Ryan rushed over to the mutant with his chainsaw drawn and reving and plunged it in the mutant's back. Raven and Beastboy covered their eyes, well Beastboy just used Raven's cape to cover himself out of sheer shock. Ryan was now lifting the Mutant stuck on his chainsaw in the air and screaming bloody murder. He then slung his weapon down and watched as the mutant slid off and onto the floor, his eyes more bloody shot and angry then ever. Ryan was now breathing heavily as he marched out of the half ruined video store and back into the hallways of the mall. Turning back only to see the terrified looks upon the two Titans' faces.

"Well, are you coming?" He asked

Beastboy and Raven reluctantly followed him.

Captain Recon and the Turaguts were now pinned down behind a fountain in the middle of a mall intersection as Sergey fired all he had at the five outgunned Raptors.

"Anyone have an idea about what to do about the crazy asshole shooting at us?" Asked Reige

"He's got six guns!" Snipe reminded him "Six guns! For the love of mike he's roloading one after the other its crazy! How much ammo can he possibly have?"

"I can't get my head up to make the shot." Rack told them

"Wait," Roger said "I got me an idea!"

"You got a what now?" Reige asked rather bewildered

"Yes sirrie!" Roger said reaching into his pocket. He rummaged inside there for awhile and pulled out what appeared to be a hamburger. It forced the other Raptors to pinch their noses.

"Dear god, what is that?" Recon asked

"Its a two year old hamburger I found under the sofa a year ago." Roger said holding his nostrils

"Was it already two years old when you found it?" Recon asked

"Yes."

"That means its three years old you idiot!" Reige screamed through the smell

"Why do you have that with you?" Rack asked

"For ocassions just like this one."

Roger threw the hamburger over the wall of the foutain and it landed at the mutant's feet. Th sudden change in atmosphere caught the mutant by surprise and he dropped all of his weapon jus thold his nose. Roger used this lull in the fighting to run up to Sergey and punch him in the face. Then, while the mutant staggered about from that attack, Roger swung his tail and the mutant crashed into a store window display and knocked himself head over heels till he finally came to a stop at the back of the store with several things hanging off him. The pierceing ow resonated from the area as the Mutant bid a hasty retreat through the back door of the shop rather clumsily. Recon and the other Turaguts emerged from their cover and walked over.

"Good job little bro." Reige said kicking the rancid hamburger several feet away "Didn't know you had it in ya."

"He landed me on my ass." Roger said "He deserved it."

At this time Starfire and Cyborg showed up.

"Friends it is good to see you!" Starfire shouted hugging Roger in a vice like grip

"Lungs...Collapsing...On self!" Roger moaned weakily as the air seaped out.

Starfire released her grip on the Raptor and said the usual sorries. Recon then noticed Robin was missing

"Where's the Boy Wonder?" He asked

"He's headed to the sports shop." Cyborg explained "We found that Cockroach guy and he was heading there last we saw both of them."

"I'll call all Raptors to the sports store," Recon said lifting up his walkie talkie "Karvisko is probably inside."

Robin finally dropped down from the vent in the ceilling and found himself inside the sports store he was led to. Robin looked around half expecting an ambush of some kind. But he saw nothing, it was pretty dark. Then the lights suddenly came on. Revealing several Mutant troops surrounding Robin behind dozens of nearby displays and a few feet in front of him stood the Cockroach.

"So you came by yourself," The insectoid observed "How stupid."

"Where's Karvisko?" Robin demanded

Stepping out from behind another display was a tall and proud Mutant. He had a broad platted head and club tail of an anklyosaurus but the body of what appeared to be a two legged meat-eater, possibly an Albertasaurus.

"So this is the leader of the Teen Titans I was told of. " The mutant said "I'm not really impressed. However you have come all this way looking for me and you have found me. So I guess there may be more to you then I think."

"So you're General Karvisko?" Robin asked

"I am." The General responded "I was hoping that my squads would have dealt with you before you returned to your tower earlier today but unfortunately the Raptors stopped that from happening."

"I want answers," said Robin "Why now? After all this time after the end of your war with the Raptors, why only now attack Jump City?"

"One reason was because my opnions on the new leadership of Mutentica were keeping me from gathering the resources I needed to stage this little operation." Karvisko explained

"But what about the US governement?" Robin asked "You must of known that you can't possibly hold this city. You don't have a large enough army to sustain a campaign over here in America."

"No I don't," Karvisko explained "and I don't intend to. I'm just in town for a few days you see. I need to pick something up that I must aquire."

"What you mean?" Robin asked "What are you planning?"

"A new Mutant revolution. But you won't live long enough to see it." Karvisko now spoke to his men "Kill the human my comrades." He turned back to Robin "It was fool hearty that you came here alone."

Suddenly gun shots rang out as the mutant soldiers were fired at from behind. Raptor soldiers rushed in and took out the mutants one by one.

"Time to go Cockroach." Karvisko said to his companion putting on sunglasses

The insectoid took out a small device and pulled the pin. Robin tried to stop them, but the flash went off and the blinded superhero could not see them run off out the fire exit. Recon evetually found Robin holding his eyes closed and trying to rub them

"Where's Karvisko?" Recon asked

"He got away with that Cockroach. But I got something out of him."

"What precisely?"

"His plan," Robin told him "he's not here for the city, he here for something in the city."

"Any idea what it is?" Recon asked

"No," Robin explained "but whatever it is he plans to use it for some new revolution of his."

"We better clear the rest of this place out and head back to the tower." said Recon "Maybe we can get a lead there."

* * *

Sorry it took so long to do. Its been hectic around here. I hop you continue to enjoy this story cause next chapter is a little more revealing about Ryan's and the Raptors'pasts. Should be rather enjoyable. I won't spoil it but it should be rather insightful what shall be revealed. See you then. 


	8. The Mind of a Raptor

Chapter eight is here despite the cruddyness of my document uploader. So heres a nice long chapter, which explains the absance of a decent update for a few days. I do hope you enjoy the frolic into Ryan's psyche. And the inherent BB/Rae moments that I always put in here. But I am so not going to have some intense makeout scene. Forget it, thats not my style. So read on

* * *

Chapter 8: The Mind of a Raptor

Returning to the tower by around nightfall, Recon advised the Titans and other Raptors to relax till morning. Night patrols were already out keeping the city under control for now and they could resume operations in the morning, it had already been a tiring day for all of them. Robin however wished to stay up with Recon to search for leads on Karvisko's whereabouts. He and his insectoid bodyguard had managed to flee the building unseen. They must have worked out an escape plan in case things in the Mall went FUBAR. The rest of the Titans however prepared for bed. Starfire insisted that the Turaguts move their sleeping bags into her room. Roger apparently was in the mood for a sleepover and between the Tamaranian's and their youngest brother's pleas, the other Turaguts agreed. Reige however was unhappy about the fact he was sleeping in a girly room. Robin and Recon had decided to work in Robin's room for the remainder of the night so they would not disturb anyone. Ryan had elected to sleep on the couch and Beastboy was sound asleep on his top bunk trying to go over the events of the day in his mind. Which led to him dreaming about it. Now most of Beastboy's dreams are wild exagerations of the preceding day's events. By wild I mean that they feature him as a more muscular superhero and turning into several extremely strong animal versions of himself. For this dream, it included him destroying the mutant soldiers that popped out of the sky at the pizza place while everyone else watched with total awe. At some point he even destroyed several paratrooper planes as a giant pteradactly. This strange and unlikely scenario played out to the stereotypical superhero theme. (Think the Superman movies but with more gutso) After he pretty much defeated the mutants on his own and recieved praise from Robin, Starfire, Cyborg and all of the Raptors. Raven came up to him. Now when Raven showed up to Beastboy in a dream she was the complete opposite of what she was suppose to be, namely friendly, very friendly. This dream Raven in particular wanted to ask something of Beastboy and she did it in a seductive tone, however the next words that came out of her mouth surprised. She wanted him to 'Get up'. Beastboy was shocked by this but as Raven began to shake him he went out of his daze. Whatever delight Beastboy was about to recieve in his dream evaporated when he woke up in a dimly lit room with the real Raven standing over him.

"Rae!" Beastboy said with a surprise "What the heck are you doing in my room?"

"I need your help." She explained

"Can't it wait till morning?" Beastboy asked "I was having a real awesome dream you know."

"I'm sorry Beastboy but this can't wait." Said Raven shaking her head. "Just follow me to the Couch in the Ops room okay."

"Why?"

"It has to do with our insane friend."

Beastboy was now standing in front of a sleeping Ryan, with EARL the chainsaw tucked in its own sleeping bag on the floor. Raven was also here with one of her book set upon the table behind them.

"Rae what exactly is going on?" Beastboy asked

"Its getting worse." Raven told him "I talked it over with Recon a little before we came back and he said Ryan's being accepting a hell of a lot of volunteer assignment in far flung countries."

"Hell of a lot?" Beastboy said confused at Raven's choice of words

"Recon's words not mine." She answered "He's been to seven war torn countries in the last two months. Basically it been non-stop fighting, he has barely had a day off. I'm not even sure he wants one."

"So he's doing what he loves." Beastboy said "What's the problem?"

"At least Robin never enjoyed his obssessions," Raven explained "Ryan seems to revel in them. And its making his mental state worsen every minute."

"What do you mean?" Beastboy asked, knowing the answer wouldn't be good

"You saw what he did to that last mutant at the video store. He gutted him, from behind! He wasn't even a threat. Not only that but I got a strange shock of information while we were coming back."

"More screaming dead guys?" Beastboy asked

"No a voice, it said 'I'm the Devil.' And it came from Ryan's head."

Beastboy looked down at the sleeping commando with a feeling of foreboding

"So what you're saying is that whatever evil you sensed coming from him is going to..." Beastboy gulped before he continued "break out."

"The voice didn't sound at all human or Raptor for that matter. Ryan's exhaustive combat tours are drawing him ever closer to letting that thing out. If we don't fix it soon it could take over."

"So what do we do?" Beastboy asked, turning back towards her

"I need to go inside his mind." She told him

"But Raven, you heard Robin." Beastboy reminded "He forbid you from doing it."

"You suggested studying him further before doing it." Raven told him

"Yeah but only so you'd eventually drop it." Beastboy explained "If Robin finds out you disobeyed his orders he'll go ballistic!"

"Since when has the Boy wonder's orders stopped you from doing anything?" Raven asked

Beastboy simply rubbed the back of his head and tried to open his mouth to speak. But nothing came out. She had him.

"Okay fine," He omitted but quickly returned to his previous serious face and came up with something else to point out haw bad the idea was "but what if something goes wrong?" He asked "You could get stuck in there or get hurt or worse! I can't just let you go in there and get mauled by who knows what is in that Raptor's mind. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did."

Beastboy lowered his head and hoped he hadn't said something she was embarrassed. But instead of the 'I can handle it' speech or the 'I can do it myself' speech, Raven said something else

"That why you're here Beastboy," she said "you're going to be my anchor."

"Huh?" Beastboy said lifting his head "I can't turn into those things Rae."

"Not that kind of anchor Beastboy." She explained shaking her head "My anchor to the physical world."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that if I get into trouble I can focus on you and find my way back here and fast." Raven explained

So she woke him up so she could use him as a fail safe. Why?

"Why me?" He asked "Couldn't you use someone else? I mean I'm flattered and all but..."

Before Beastboy could finish Raven interrupted him

"Robin isn't going to help me since he ordered me to drop the idea all together, Starfire will probably tell Robin, Cyborg will get all protective and refuse to help and I don't really think any of the other Raptors want me poking around in one of their own species heads."

"So really I'm just your only choice?" Beastboy said rather frustrated

"No its not that." She explained "I was going to pick you either way. In truth both of us and Ryan have something in common. We all have a beast of some kind inside. Mine my demon side, yours your primal side and-"

Beastboy finished her sentence

"Ryan has his super evil 'I'm the Devil' thing."

"Exactly." Raven said "I also wanted to do something else before the procedure."

"Huh?" Beastboy said raising his eyebrow

"Well," Raven began "In the months you were recovering from the whole 'Terra Came Back' you were pretty much secluded."

"It was only a few weeks." Beastboy reminded her "I thought you'd enjoy sometime alone."

Raven looked over to the window and crossed her arms. She sighed, how else did she expect Beastboy to think of what she enjoy. She pretty much didn't really do much except berate him before and after his minature depression. She did lighten up a slight bit however cause she didn't want him to start going all depressed on her again. She even laughed at his first joke in months. It was a crack about himself so thats what made it funny. But for the majority of their friendshp, she hadn't really done anything explicty nice for him. So really what Beastboy thought she would enjoy the most was him being away from everyone and her was really what she expected him to feel.

"I thought I would enjoy it too." Raven admited, this was true at first, till she realized how she was lying to herself about it. As she explained further to Beastboy "I thought that maybe I'd get some meditation sessions done faster. Maybe get through a book or two. Then I realized something. It was dull. Boring even. All I did all day was sit and read and then meditate. It got, repetative after awhile."

"Oh great, so even when I'm not around you're misarable." Beastboy said sadly

"No, it wasn't you. It was me. I soon found out that my life was a constant boring routine. I'd get up, meditate at specific hours of the day, read a book or two when I had time, drunk some tea, worked on some spells and then I went to bed. Only to do it all over again the next morning. There was never any fun, nothing spontaneous, nothing interesting going on, I tried to get out of the routine but I just couldn't. It felt like I had no reason, nothing to help me break it. Except you." She turned to Beastboy "You always wanted me to get out. Do things with the group, have fun as it were. You were really the first person who wanted that from me. You didn't care about me being creepy or secluded or my loner personality. You wanted me to open up to the others. You wanted me to have fun once in awhile. Most people just wanted me to keep everything inside. They wanted me to keep following that same old routine. And I did, even after my Father's death. It had been so natural for me that to change it now would be so...well strange. I guess those few weeks where you acted more like a loner then I ever did it kinda made me see why you were so important to the team. You're the guy who keeps things fun around here. You keep them interesting. The team and the entire tower is just dull without you. It made me feel like I shouldn't have been so mean all those times."

"Wow," Beastboy said taking all the information in "I never knew. Why didn't you say something before?"

"I wanted to, but I didn't know how I could." Raven told him

This was all interesting but Beastboy was still didn't understand the relevance of it all at the moment. I mean she was thinking about diving into Ryan's mind in a few moments and she was telling him that she needed his silly antics.

"So what does this have to do with me being your anchor then?" Beastboy asked

"When I realized that I had spent more time berating you when I should have been thanking you for trying to be a good friend I decided I wanted to make up for it all."

"How?" Beastboy asked "You could just say thank you and that would be enough."

"Not good enough." Raven explained "Beastboy has it ever bothered you that we both live in the same tower, with rooms down the hall from each other, with the same group of friends and the same occupation as crime fighters, but we hardly know anything about each other?"

Beastboy thought it over slightly, rubbing his chin and trying to look like he was thinking.

"Um, yeah, it has." He responded

"Same with me. It like I'm trying to force a wedge between us all this time. All you ever did was try to open me up and all I ever did was push you away. Not vedry good for a friendship."

"Hey, don't blame yourself." Beastboy told her "I was the annoying immature one remember."

Raven nodded

"True, but I didn't help much with my constant wall of ice I never let you break open."

"Is that a metaphor?" Beastboy asked

Raven just rolled her eyes

"The point is, I've made pretty good strides with everyone in terms of friendship. Star, Cy, even Robin. But with you, well, all we've done is argue with each other."

"Hey we had some bonding moments." Beastboy reminded her "Remember?"

"Not the way I've had with the others." Raven explained "I know them all pretty well. But between us, we just can't open up. I mean, how are we suppose to be friends if we barely know about one another."

"Well we could swap life stories." Beastboy suggested

"I came up with a better idea." Raven began "What I'm about to do is very special. I've never done it with anyone else. I'm going to bridge our minds together."

"You're gonna what my what?" Beastboy asked

"Basically we'll be able to be more open to each other. In more ways then one. When ever one of us is in trouble we can contact each other with a simple thought. At any moment and at any time you'll be able to see and hear whatever I do. Basically what I did with Robin during the whole 'Fake Smoke Slade' thing only more permanent."

"So you and I will share brainwaves or something?" Beastboy asked

"Pretty much," she now began to speak more softly "and if you ever want to share anything personal and talk about it we'll be able to do so. You and I will be able to view each other's memories. It will make us," she hesitated for a moment "get closer to one another. Understand each other better. Maybe even help me break the routine a bit."

"Sounds cool." Beastboy said, but now he was wondering something else "but why go through all that trouble?" He asked "It not like we can't ever just talk."

"I don't know why." Raven said, she didn't really know how to fully understand the reasoning behind her extreme decision. It would certainly strengthen their bond as friends but why go through it all when Beastboy was more then willing to just talk with her about anything she wanted to. She once or twice came upon the possibility that she may have liked Beastboy in some way. Possibly even admired him. Maybe even...but she pushed those thoughts back into her mind. It was silly, he was a friend, nothing more. It was stupid to even think of the possibility. But still why bother going to the extreme. "Maybe I just need to make up for the lost time." She said "I wouldn't feel like doing this if I had been a better friend."

"Okay," said Beastboy seeming slightly dissapointed. He was kinda hoping it would be like one of his fantasies where Raven was maybe sorta into him. He knew it wasn't really true, but it was nice to fantasize about. Oh well, at least they'd both get to know each other better now. But he still didn't have his answer about what this had to do with him being an anchor. "So hows this anchor bussiness tied in with this little mind meld thing?" He finally asked

"Well," Raven began to explain "It will allow us both to witness the same things inside Ryan's mind. Once inside we'll be able to communicate with each other. You'll be able to see and hear what I hear and we'll both be able to form and idea of what the problem is. Perhaps you can even offer advice."

"I'm not good with that last one." Beastboy told her

"Well you never really know." said Raven. She now looked him straight in the eye and spoke more serious to him "Now do you want to help me or not?"

Beastboy didn't need much time to think about it. Raven sounded like she knew what she was doing and if he didn't help her out with this Ryan thing she might jsut go ahead and do it herself.

"Fine," Beastboy shrugged "I'll help. But if anything bad happens you must promise me you'll get out of there fast. If you got hurt in there I don't know if I could stand it."

"With you on the other end what do I have to worry about." Raven told him causing Beastboy to blush slightly. "Now are you ready?"

"I guess so." Beastboy threw out his arms into a cross "Hit me baby."

Raven shook her head and grabbed Beastboy's head by its temples. She looked deeply into Beastboy's eyes and him into hers. She then muttered her mantra.

"Azarath...Metrion...Zinthos."

Raven's eyes glowed pure white and a black bird emerged out of her chakra and straight into Beastboy's head. Everything went by so fast that by the time things were over Beastboy wa reeling from the expierence. He felt like someone had hit him a baseball bat.

"The pain will pass" Raven explained

"How do you know?" Beastboy asked

"Because I can feel it too. It part of the mind bridge."

"Oh great, we can pretty much feel eacth other's pain." Beastboy said sarcastically "Just great."

"Did you just use sarcasm?" Raven asked

"Whoa, I did! Is that another side-effect?"

"Relax, Beastboy it will pass in time. Your personality isn't going to change." Raven explained "Thank god because two sarcastic people in this tower is enough and that not counting Snipe and his snide comments." Raven now went over to Ryan head and kneeled down. She outstrecthed her hand to Beastboy's. "Hold on and don't let go okay."

Beastboy grabbed her hand.

"Sure thing. So is this going to hurt or something?"

"No, its perfectly normal." She explained "Your physical form, or body, will stay out here as my anchor, but your mind will enter with me into Ryan's. It will be like my mirror but slightly different. I'll be the only one in any danger."

"Just be careful okay." Beastbot reminded her

Raven put her other hand to Ryan's forehead "Here we go."

Ryan's eyes suddenly opened and he spoke in a rather strange voice, not unlike him but he apparently didn't notice them at all. He was in some kind of trance. Obviously some part of the whole going inside some one's mind thing.

"Welcome to Ryan's brain," Ryan said in his strange echoly voice "step right up and enjoy the insanity!"

Ryan's eyes rolled to the back of his head and with a flash of light Raven was sucked inside.

Raven picked herself off the ground. She quickly heard Beastboy as she sturggled to get her vision straight.

"_Rae!_" Beastboy's voice cried "_You okay? I can't see anything._"

"I'm fine Beastboy. Just a little dazzed." Raven shook her head a little more and eventually the landscape came into view. It was lush, green, and humid. Trees and ferns were everywhere and Raven soon realized she was standing in the middle of a jungle. "Well this isn't what I expected."

"_What did you expect?_" Asked Beastboy's voice

"Well," Raven said "I didn't really know at first. But cetainly not a rainforest."

"_Well he is a Raptor,_" Beastboy reminded her "_and he lives on a tropical island. Maybe he just likes his home._"

"It not that I just didn't think things would be so peaceful." Raven explained

In truth things were peaceful, no screams of torment, no pain, no sign of danger. The entire Jungle felt friendly, even inviting.

"_Now that you mention it,_" Beastboy voiced into Raven's head "_It does look like a nice place to vacation to._"

Raven was thinking that as well. But she and Beastboy needed to focus.

"So where do we go from here?" Raven asked to no one in particular

Suddenly a path opened up through the jungle as ferns and trees were pushed to the side.

"_Follow the dirt laden road._" Beastboy suggested

"Might as well." Raven replied

Walking down the path Raven eventually came to a small clearing with a rock cave. Nearby were two Raptors along with a smaller one apparently playing around. One Raptor appeared to be male and the other was Female. Raven could tell by the way their feathers on their heads were styled as well as their physhiques. The smaller Raptor looked rather familar. Way too familar.

"Beastboy," Raven began "are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Beastboy was pretty much on the same page

"_Those two are Ryan's parents!_"

"Seems like it." Raven responded

The Female Raptor began to lick the young Raptor's face and small downy head feather while the male brought over food for the family. It looked rather charming.

"Now this I wasn't expecting at all." Raven said "It looks like Ryan's homelife was pretty good."

"_I wonder what made him grow up the way he did?_" Beastboy asked

"Perhaps," Raven began "something happened."

"_What could that possibly..._" Beastboy stopped "_Oh no._"

"What?" Raven asked

"_Its just like..._" Beastboy was studerring now "_The boat...Waterfall..._"

"Beastboy what's going on?" Raven asked with concern

"_Ryan's parents are dead!_"

"Beastboy that ridiculous." Raven told him "Who or what could have possibly killed them?"

It was at this precise moment that the warm air of the jungle suddenly changed. It no longer felt inviting, instead it grew cold and dark. The sun from overhead turned from yellow to red and a sound from overhead cut through the serenity of before. Appearing from over the horizon was a helicopter. A small one that had the characteristic teeth painted marks on its nose. But these ones moved and smiled wickedly at the three Raptors before it. The female Raptor placed the young Ryan in the cave quickly and blocked it with a rock. The young Raptor peered out the crack of the makeshift door while the chopper began to sprout two machine guns out of its side.

"Oh my..." Was all Raven could say before the machine guns opened up and the two adult Raptors were gunned down before them. The young Ryan rushed outside and clawed at the bodies on the ground. Ryan looked to the Chopper. Raven closed her eyes.

"Oh Azar no!" She couldn't watch, she thought she knew what was going to happen. But instead something else happened. There were no gun shots, no more screams of pain.

"_Raven," _Beastboy said "_Open your eyes and let me see._"

She did as she was told and instead of what she expected she saw something much worse. The helicopter just sat there grinning its evil smile at Ryan. And then it began to laugh. It began to laugh wildly with sick pleasurable joy at the young Raptor. The laughter was so high that it made Raven clutched her ears in disgust. Beastboy shouted out at the demonic aerial vehicle instead.

"_What the hell is so funny?_" Beastboy screamed

Raven couldn't stand the laughter

"Make him stop!" Raven screamed "Make him stop!"

The laugh of the chopper was more deadly then the bullets it used. Raven felt like its sting, it made her want to claw out her eardrums, her brain even if only to shut the chopper up. Ryan himself was crying in vain over his dead parent's bodies. It was a horrible gut wrenching scene. But it soon was interuppted when the small Raptor boy stopped crying and stood up in front of the chopper. The young child grew within seconds to a full fledged adult and pulled a RPG out from behind his back and fired it into the chopper. The vehicle began to spin out of control.

"_Raven! Look out!_" Beastboy shouted

Raven saw as the chopper head for them and quickly ducked out of the way. The chopper exploded into the ground shortly after. The dust settled and Raven got to her feet.

"Is that thing gone?" She asked

"_Yeah, I think so._" Beastboy answered "_Then again there is the slim chance that it exploded and is somehow still alive._"

"Good point." Raven admited. She should have known that thing was gone after seeing what just happened but she wanted to be sure. She decided to take a good look at her surrounding. Everything was dark except for the light overhead.

"_So where are we now?_" Beastboy asked

"I'm not sure." Raven told him

"_Maybe we should take a look around?_"

"Good idea." Raven said

She began to walk in one direction out of the spotlight that was on her but suddenly a cage surrounded her.

"_Oh great!_" Said Beastboy "_Now what?_"

Almost immediately a large slab appeared out of the darkness and manuvuered itself over to the cage. Standing in a upright position, the slab sprouted several mechanical arms, each armed with a different drill, saw or electrical probe.

"Well we know what the cage is for now." Raven said as the slab aprroached closer

"_Yeah,_" Said Beastboy "_So we can't move when it chops our heads off!_"

The Slab flung a saw blade at Raven's head. She ducked out of the way quickly as the blade hit the cage instead. Another saw blade went for her but she avoided it as well. The two saw blades now through the bar. Raven took her chance and bended the bars outwards with her powers allowing her to escape. She ducked past the saw blades as the slab made its way to attack her with the electrical probes.

"_Smash it! Kill it! Do something!_" Beastboy pleaded

"I can't." Raven explained "Whatever it is it not the evil we came to stop. I sense it is simply a bad memory, like Ryan's parents' deaths."

"_Does it have to take the phrase bad memory so literal?_" Beastboy asked

The slab began to close in and just before it caught up with Raven trhe ground opened up and she fell downwards.

"_Oh man I'm getting sick of this._" Cried Beastboy as the came to a sudden stop. He called for Raven hoping she was okay "_Rae are you alright? Say something!_"

"I'm fine." Raven said getting up and rubbing her head "Just a little surprised by all the twist and turns around here."

"_You're telling me._" Beastboy chuckled

"So where are we now in Ryan psyche?" Raven asked looking around at the dark and dusty desert before her.

When I say Desert I mean a cloudly no sunlight desert with nothing around for miles. Except what looked to be lights further away. It seemed to be the outline of a city of somesorts.

"_Why is everything so dark?_" Beastboy asked

"This is the darker side of Ryan's psyche." Raven explained "It where I sensed the evil was coming from so I got us as close as I could. When we saw Ryan's memory of his Parents' demise we must of crossed over into the part of his mind he doesn't like to show."

"_How come we couldn't get in before?_" Beastboy questioned

"I couldn't." Raven answered "There was a flash of bright light, a force that pushed me inside and then I just...stopped. Perhaps Ryan has somesort of defence against this kid of thing. you know keep him from being brainwashed."

"_I don't think this brain is washable._" Beastboy said "_I mean look at all the dust._"

"Not funny." Raven told him

"_So? Whats new?_" Beastboy asked jokingly

"Good point." Raven acknowledged

"_Say,_" Beastboy said as something clicked in his mind "_If Ryan's mind defences stopped you from getting to this part of his brain, then where are they now? And why haven't they tried to kick us out?_"

"Maybe they think we're dead." Raven suggested

"**THINK AGAIN!**" A voice boomed

Raven turned around to see a tall dark figure encased in a black shadow.

"**You have tresspassed!**" The black shadow told them "**You have violated this mind's inner sanctum! By my orders you must leave or perish!**"

"Wait you don't understand-" Raven said tryiong to explain

"**You are a foreign thought!**" The Shadow shouted "**A vile scum, a germ, a manifestation that wishes to harm the boss!**"

"The Boss?" Raven wondered, not knowing what it meant

"**I serve to keep this mind's owner from evil influences that wish to decieve him! I am the last defence against the plague of sadism and the threat of this mind becoming a souless killing machine without a concious and without reasoning! You are one of those foreign thoughts! If you will not leave then you shall be destroyed!**"

The Shadow lunged at Raven as she flew away.

"_Where do we go?_" Beastboy asked frantically "_There's nothing around for miles!_"

Raven looked straight ahead and saw the flickering light of the strange city up ahead.

"There!" She pointed "Its our only chance."

"**Disease!**" The shadow screamed after them throwing explosive shadow balls as it flew after them "**Malcontempt evil! Wisher of harm to the innocents! I shall not let you turn the boss into a killer! Its my duty! My job! My purpose! You shall pay the ultimate price for your interferance!**"

Raven dodged the incoming projectiles

"Listen to me! I'm not here to harm Ryan!" She shouted back

"**Do not waste my time with your lies!**" The shadow thing threw more of its dark bombs at Raven's speeding form. But she easily dodged them. The City wasn't too far away now.

"You don't understand, something is going to break loose!" Raven tried to explain "Please! You have to trust me! Its going to destroy everything in here! You have to-"

"**SHUT UP!**"

A tentacle of dark energy lashed out at Raven and struck her in the back. Raven could not maintain her flight pattern and she fell towards the city. she skidded across the ground until came to stop against the wall. Her head smacked right into the pavement and she seemed to black out for a few seconds. But a voice kept her concious and aware, Beastboy's.

"_Raven!_" He screamed frantically "_Oh no! Please don't be dead! Please don't be dead! Come on wake up please! Don't die on me! Not in there! We have so much to talk about now! So much to share! You gave me this mind bridge thing! Please don't demolish it now! Not after so long! I finally got you to open up after all these years! We finally share something special no one else has! No one has ever done something like this for me!_" He spoke slower now"_Please... don't leave me._" He sounded like he was crying "_Don't leave me again._"

Raven slowly opened her eyes now shaking her head.

"Beast...Beastboy." She said dreaily "Don't worry, I'm still here."

"_Oh thank god!_" Beastboy cried "_Raven, don't you dare do that again you scared me half to death! I would have never forgiven myself if I just let you die in there. Do you know how much I was worried just now!_"

"You were practically shouting in my ear." Raven reminded him "How could I not hear?"

"_Oh..._" Beastboy realized he said quite a few things back there. Rather embarrassing things "_Um how much did you hear exactly?_"

"We'll talk about that later." Raven told him "Right now lets figure out where we are now."

"_Okay_" Beastboy said rather sadly. Almost like he was hoping to get something off his chest.

Raven stepped out into the streets of the city and realized that the lights she and Beastboy saw were not lights, but fires. Fires growing from every facet of the city. Everything was burning. Shops, towers, office buildings, cars, everything was in flames. And scattered around the city were dozens of dead and mangled bodies.

"Sweet Azar." Raven said trying to hide her horror.

"_Were we too late?_" Beastboy asked

"No," Raven said feeling her head "I still got a lock on whatever is causing Ryan's deterioation." She kept focus on whatever it was, the evil was strong and getting stronger. She then located it. A few meters down the street. When she came to the point she sensed she saw a building that instantly told her what city this was. The building was Mahn's Chinese Theatre.

"_We're in LA!_" Beastboy shouted

"Apparently." Raven replied

"_I knew the city had crime problems,_" Beastboy commented"_but this is ridiculous!_"

"What happened here?" Raven asked

"_We'll ask Ryan when we get out of here._" Said Beastboy "_Let's just go in there and stop the big evil thing in here._"

"Since when did you take charge like this?" Raven asked

"_Hey I can take point when I need to._" Beastboy told her

Raven knew that, he always seemed to prove himself when the chips were down. But now was not the time to think about it

"Let's just end this." Raven replied back

Raven opened the doors to the theatre and entered the main lobby. She looked around for whatever it was that was causing Ryan's deterioation problems. She soon found it. A large gash in the middle of the room, it appeared to be some kind of slowly opening portal.

"There's our problem." Raven said pointing

"_So how do we fix it?_" asked Beastboy

****

"YOU DON'T." a voice boomed from the portal

"_What was that?_" Beastboy asked

"That what we're here for." Raven explained turning her attention to the portal "Who are you?" She shouted at it "What are you doing here?"

****

"I? I?" Whatever it was asked back rethorically **_"I AM THE LAST PHASE OF RYAN'S EVOLUTION. THE CULMINATION OF ALL YOUR RACES SINS AGAINST HIM."_**

Whatever it was asked back rethorically 

"Sins?" Raven asked

****

"THEY NEVER TOLD YOU DID THEY?" The thing responded with glib surprise **_"YOU HAVE PLAGUED RYAN ALL HIS LIFE. YOU KILLED HIS PARENTS, TORTURED HIM FOR 15 MONTHS, TWO WEEKS OF WHICH HE CANNOT RECALL. HE CAME TO YOUR WORLD SEEKING PEACE AND A NEW LIFE AND YOUR RACE ONCE AGAIN TRIED TO DESTROY HIM. SO HE KILLED THEM, HE KILLED THEM ALL. HE WAS AVENGED AGAINST THOSE WHO WRONGED HIM. HE KILLED THE MOST VILE SCUM OF LOS ANGELES AND HE SENT THEIR SOULS TO ME. JUST LIKE HE SENT ALL OF THOSE CORRUPT AND ANGUISHED SOULS TO ME."_**

The thing responded with glib surprise 

"Why are you doing this?" Raven demanded "What is your purpose? What are you?"

****

"ME AND RYAN ARE GOING TO BE GODS IN THIS WORLD, THATS REJECTED AND FEARED HIM FOR SO LONG. WE'RE GOING TO TEAR IT INTO A BILLION PIECES. I AM THE INEVITABLE CONCLUSION OF RYAN'S INSANITY. I AM THE ULTIMATE SIN. THE FINAL CURTAIN CALL FOR MANKIND AND EVERYTHING ON EARTH. I AM RYAN'S DESTINY. I'M THE DEVIL!"

Raven stepped back a few feet as she took it all in. This thing was the culmination of Ryan's pain, of all of his horrible memories she had witnessed. It was feeding off his pain and anguish and his hate. And it was growing. And all of this hate, was directed towards humans. She had to think of something to close the portal before it got out. She repeated her mantra over and over again until a large claw like hand grabbed the portal and tried to close it. But she was pushed back by a sudden bolt from the portal's mouth and thrown to the side. It was then that the Shadow that had chased her burst into the theatre and lashed out at the portal with his tentacles and shadow bombs.

"**Back Deciever!**" The shadow shouted into the protal "**Ryan shall never fall prey to your empty promises! Not as long as I am here!**"

The monster inside was defiant.

****

"YOU CANNOT WIN! NOT WHEN I'M SO CLOSE!"

The monster from the portal let out a final scream of defiance and the portal closed completely, everything was silent again.

"**Another day creature of oblivion.**" The shadow said "**Another day.**" He turned towards Raven

Raven was surprised, the shadow knew exactly what to do, where to go and how to solve the problem. She ahd tried and failed because she was unaware of what she was up against. But this shadow seemed to have expierence. That's when it hit her.

"You knew?" Raven asked in astonishment

Shadow nodded

"**That thing appears here every couple of days,**" The shadow explained "**I am charged to close it from time to time. To make sure the boss is not influenced by his lies.**"

"But why did you attack me?" She asked "I was trying to help."

"**I have been tricked before by outside thoughts posing as saviours. I no longer trust anyone. Your attempts to close the portal prove you intentions to be more just.**" The Shadow bowed towards Raven. "**And now you must leave.**"

Raven prepared to focus on Beastboy's position back in the physical world, but she stopped before she completed and turned to the shadow again.

"So who are you any way?" she asked

"**I am Ryan's concious,**" The Shadow said "**His sense of right and wrong. His last shread of guilt and mercy left in this dark place. I am a protector of the mind and of free thought. And in your world I would probably be called a superhero.**"

"That doesn't answer my question." Raven said tapping her foot

The Shadow simply narrowed his gaze and looked at her in the face

"**Read Freud once in awhile.**"

Beastboy contacted Raven once more.

"_Rae! Can we go now?_"

"Yes Beastboy, I'm coming back. Hold on a second."

With a quick concentration on Beastboy she quickly stepped away from Ryan's mind and was bolted back into the real world.

Raven was blasted back from Ryan's head and straight into Beastboy's arms. They collapsed on the floor in a heap. Raven managed to shake her eyes open an noticed she was now lying in Beastboy's lap on the floor. She quickly got out of the position before he could see her.

"Beastboy are you okay?" She asked to the changeling on the floor.

"I'm fine," He said "just a bump on the head is all."

"Good to know." Raven told him "Let me help you up."

Raven lifted beastboy to his feet and dusted him off.

"So, you know who that shadow dude was?" Beastboy asked

"I have an idea." She told him "I'll need to look at Freud to be sure of course." but her train of thought was interupted by a scary, raspy, rather familar voice.

"What did you do?" It asked

Raven and Beastboy slowly turned towards the couch. Standing tall upon it was a rather angry Raptor called Ryan.

"What the fuck did you do?" He screamed reaching for his knife.

Beastboy jumped in front of Raven.

"We were trying to help you-" Beastboy was cut off as Ryan pushed him aside and grabbed Raven by the throat

"What the fuck did you do you little bitch?" He demanded "What the fuck did you do to my **HEAD**!"

"Your mindscape was deterioating." She gasped "You needed help."

"So you went inside my head!" Ryan screamed "What did you see?"

Raven didn't answer and Ryan put the knife to her throat

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SEE?"

Beastboy tackled the Raptor across the room with his bull form and Raven was released from his grasped. Raven fell to the ground but was caught in Beastboy's arms bridal style as soon as she fell.

"Thanks." She said

"Anytime." He told her

Ryan got to his feet and looked a the two.

"You stay the hell away from my mind!" He demanded

Raven got down out of Beastboy's arms and looked over to Ryan.

"Ryan, we just wanted to help."

"I don't need you help!" He yelled "I'm Lieutenant Ryan the Raptor, the Insano Commando! I've killed people with my bare hands, lit them on fire, chopped of their heads! I've defeated more bad guys in a week then you have in a month! And what's more they're all no longer a problem! And the last place I need help is from a bunch of godamn teenage brats!"

"Dude," Beastboy said "don't you get it! Thats your problem! You're mind is messed up. You have a lot of mental baggage and you need to unload it."

"How do I do that you green freak?" Ryan asked

"Ryan," Raven began "tell us about your life before you became a commando."

Ryan calmed down a little and looked off to the side.

"No." Ryan said flatly "You'd never understand it all."

"I don't think so." Said Beastboy "I think we have more in common then you think."

"No we don't." Ryan said sternly

"You can't keep it bottled up inside forever Ryan." Raven told the Raptor "It will destroy you. Please tell us about what happened to you..." Raven paused thinking about her next words "...after your parents died."

Ryan's eyes suddenly widened he looked over at Raven with an angry look.

"Don't. You. Dare. Speak. About. My. Parents." He said

"But..." Raven didn't finish

"Shut up! Stay out of my life! Stay out of my memories! Stay away from me period!" Ryan ordered "I don't need your pity! I don't need anyone!"

Ryan stomped away out of the main hall and out of sight. Beastboy and Raven looked on in awe.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Beastboy asked

"He just needs sometime." Raven told him

"What about the scary monster thing?" Beastboy asked once more

"Its subsided for now." Raven answered "But at the moment we have a lot of questions left over from our little journey. But most of them can be answered in the morining."

"Yeah, I guess." Beastboy said rubbing his head

"Goodnight." Raven said waving goodbye to Beastboy as she began to leave.

"Yeah, night." Beastboy said as he turned his face downward

"Oh and one more thing." Raven said causing Beastboy's eyes to rise to her "I don't want to leave you either, ever."

"Thanks." Raven left the room shortly after and Beastboy flopped down on the couch. "That was way better then anything my dream Raven's would have said."

* * *

If you really want to know who that shadow was I suggest you look up Freud on wikipedia or something. The clues I gave should be more then enough to help. I hope this chapter was worth the read and I will update soon. Please review for now.


	9. Early Morning Rush

I'm going away for a week or two on vacation so this is my last update before I leave. I'll finally reveal the full story of the Raptors' origins and use the one weapon I've negelected for quite sometime. By the way here's the usual disclaimer: The titans are not mine, the raptors and Mutants are mine. I'm sure you're sick of that by now.

MaxMrc: I'm glad you found the last chapter disturbing, that was the whole point of it

X-Black-Mage-X: I answered your question personally, but I just wanted to say that your parody of the Matrix with the Titans rocks and I think more people should look at it. Free Advertising!

* * *

Chapter 9: Early Morning Rush

Next morning was as usual as any day at Titans Tower. Except the fact that several hundred Raptorian soldiers were camped outside their front lawn and even more were sleeping away in any room they could find. The only Raptor up at the moment was Roger. He was really the morning person in his family. He always got up first so he could make breakfast for everyone. He was the only one his other Brother's trusted to make their meals. Even if Roger was denser then a sack of rocks he knew good food when he tasted it. However at the moment no one had arrvied in the kitchen and he was growing quite bored. So he did what any Texan would do, he brought out his sang a little while he started to cook.

"_Home, home on the Range," _he sung happily

"where the deer and the antelope play.

Where seldom is heard

A discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day."

It was at this moment that Lieutenant Ryan stumbled in looking rather exhausted and seemingly in a bad mood. Roger being Roger tried to cheer him up.

"Hey Lt." Greeted Roger "how was your sleep?"

"The usual crap private." Ryan told him "It sucked, hard."

"I know what will cheer you up sir." Roger told him "Becon and Eggs. The best way to wake up from a bad night."

Ryan walked on over to the table and sat down

"Alright, just pour me a glass of OJ with it." The commando asked

"Sure thing." Roger hurried on over to the stove.

Ryan wasn't in any mood to talk about what had happened last night with Beastboy and Raven. He didn't want to talk about it period. It was just more people wanting to know his life story and wanting to 'help' him. Whatever problem he was having he could solve it himself. He didn't need some blue cloak wearing goth and her green skinned buddy poking around inside his noggin' for it. He would have liked it if he never talked to either of them again. Not so much luck. Raven was a morning person and she was just approaching the table. The fact that Ryan had practically threatened to slice her throat last night didn't matter. She was not afraid of him, his state of mind maybe, but not him. So she sat down beside him. Ryan noticed but didn't seem to really care.

"So-" Raven began but was quickly stopped by Ryan with a swift...

"No."

"You didn't even hear my question." Raven told him

"I know what it is." Ryan shot back

Raven saw that he wasn't over the unauthorized intrusion into his mind. 'Why should he be', she thought, 'its not like I asked permission.' But she did what she thought had to be done, for the safety of her friends and the city. If Ryan really was going to snap she wanted to mend the damage. Apparently there was really nothing she could have done, at least not on the inside. If Ryan was to ever fully contain the monster inside of him she would need to know more about him before she could consider what she could do to help. The problem was all she really knew was that Ryan was an orphan. And she needed to work with that. But how could she when the person she was trying to help was being so stubborn.

"Listen," she said to Ryan "I'm sorry for what happened. But at the time I thought it was the best course of action."

Ryan just stuck out a rasberry at this

"You were going to snap, you were going to go borderline psychotic. I needed to fix the damage and I thought the best way to do that was from within."

"So what do you think now?" Ryan asked, he still wasn't looking at her

"I think you need to tell us more about you." She told him

"Why should I?" He asked "Whatever you 'thought' was wrong wasn't. Whatever is happening in my noodle I can handle alone. I don't need any help. Especially not from a human."

Raven could somewhat identify, she had never wanted to open up about her past either. She thought she could shoulder it all her own. It didn't work out that way. She thought that keeping her friends out of her horrible past would be better for them, that somehow she could figure a way out on her own. It didn't work out that way, but then again what does? She refused to tell the prophecy of her birth to her friends but all of it was too much to bare. She exploded into a rage that had her throwing Slade into wall after wall, if he had been alive at the time she may have killed him. When it was all over she saw her friends looking up at her. Their faces were in a state of shock. The only person who spoke up was Beastboy and even he was afraid of her at the moment. She could sense it. By not telling her friends of the danger of her birthright and trying to keep them away from it she risked the very possibility of alienating them. She came very close to it that night. But she was still in relative control, if Ryan snapped...she didn't want to think about it.

"I know you don't want to talk about your past." Raven told him "but keeping it a secret will not make things better. If it really does bother you so much just let it out. Tell me about your life, maybe I can understand."

Ryan finally looked over to her

"Listen to me pale chick." He said "I'm not some sad pathetic little Emo freak that goes around whinning about how much his life sucked. It doesn't matter what bad things happened in my past because telling you about them won't change the fact that they happened. The only thing I want to do is move forward, the past cannot be changed I know that. I've known it for years. My past is done, its over. The only thing that concerns me now is that it never happens to another child in this world again." Ryan moved closer to her face "Now shut the hell up and stop acting like my psychiatrist. I don't need to tell you anything. Just be happy I'm on your side."

With that Ryan turned his face forwards and accepted Roger's freshly made Eggs and Bacon breakfast with his OJ. Roger himself turned back to Raven.

"Anything you'd like for breakfast?" Roger asked

"No," she sighed "I can make it myself. I just need some herbal tea."

"Well you have to have something with that." Roger told her "How about some toast? Or maybe a waffle?"

Raven considered the offer and nodded

"Toast sounds fine."

Roger went back over to the toaster. Ryan in the meantime had already sucked up the last of his plate and left. Obviously she wasn't going to find out anything about Ryan while he was still mad at her. But she had a feeling that whatever Ryan wasn't telling them was connected in someway to the history of all Raptors. If only there was someone she could talk about this with. That's when she remembered Beastboy. She had a mind bridge with him. Right now she could tell he was just getting up, she felt that he was groggy. Probably couldn't get back to sleep. Beastboy eventually showed up at the table and sat down next to her.

'Good Morning' Raven thought over into Beastboy's head.

The green teen jumped at this for a meer second and looked over to Raven

'Dude,' He whined 'give me some ample warning next time. I'm new to this whole mind reading thing.'

'I wanted this to be a private conversation.' She told him

'Okay, sorry.' Beastboy thought over to her 'I guess I'm just still processing all that stuff that happened last night.'

'That brain trip we took was rather disturbing.'

'There was a demonic helicopter that laughed at us.' Beastboy reminded her 'Of course it was disturbing.'

'The thing is Ryan still isn't talking about it.' Raven explained

'So we have no idea what the devil chopper, the evil torture chair and the burning, dead body littered Los Angeles all means huh?'

'No,' She answered 'but I have a feeling we can find out from his fellow Raptors.'

'What makes you say that?' Beastboy asked

'On their first day here Rack told us that Raptors don't hold humans in high regard and Ryan is one of those Raptors. Also, if that chopper was from a distant memory it had to have been on Raptoria where these guys are from. And since Ryan isn't angry at his own species-' Beastboy cut off her train of thought

'Are you saying humans killed Ryan's parents?' Beastboy asked

'Its really the only possible solution.'

'But why would they? Hell, what were they doing on Raptoria with the Raptors at all?'

'Let's ask them.'

Roger returned to the Table with a plate of toast and some tea for Raven

"Roger," She began "can you tell us about Raptoria's history with humans?"

Roger raised an eyebrow at this

"I don't think I can explain it properly." He said shaking his head "I'm not the historian in my family like Snipe. He knows more about the beginning days of Raptoria and that whole Civil War bussiness."

Raven's eyes widened

"Civil War?"

"Yeah, you should ask Snipe about it. He loves giving history lectures." Roger turned to Beastboy "Hey Green Man, hows a about some Bacon?"

Beastboy seemed to turn greener at the prospect.

"No, I'm not a meat eater."

"Say what?" Roger said in a low voice

"I only eat meat substitutes."

"EW!" Roger cringed "Tofu, my one food weakness. That insideous invention by people who want to sacrafice quality for health. So what if I get 15 extra pounds at least I'm well fed. Curse you heathly magazines! CURSE YOU!" Roger turned back to the two teens who were now eyeballing him. "Oh, sorry. I don't like Tofu. That and I think I'm allergic to soy beans."

'I should of used that excuse a long time ago.' Raven thought

'I heard that.' Beastboy thought back

Snipe was outside in a small tent outside the tower looking through ammunition boxes when Beastboy and Raveb showed up to ask him about Raptorian history, specifically the Civil War Roger mentioned

"Not many people like to get into the grubby details of that time you know." Snipe informed "It was a proud moment in our history, even if it was one of our darkest. I've always found it fascinating though."

"So you can tell us about it?" Raven asked

"That depends, what do you want to know about it?" Snipe asked "The politics surrounding it, specific important battles, the weapons used, I read about it all quite extensively."

"Listen," Beastboy spoke up "I like history lessons as much as the next guy, but can you just give us the short version of things."

"In other words you just want what you can find in a stupid textbook is that it?" Snipe asked rather annoyed

"Yeah." Beastboy answered

Snipe sighed

"No one ever wants the intensely factual lecture."

"We're sorry Snipe," Raven said "but we don't have all day. That and Beastboy can't pay attention for more then an hour about one subject."

"Hey!" Beastboy said with a startle

Snipe shook his head

"Very well." He said pulling up a chair and sitting on it with his feet facing towards the back and his arms resting on the wooden frame. "Now, I suppose someone told you about how us Raptors were created."

Beastboy and Raven looked to each other and looked back to Snipe

"No." The both said

"Oh dear." Snipe sighed as he began "Very well. It all started back in the 1950's when a former weapons manufactuer and military hardware company known as SICO Industires decided to get out of the warfare bussiness and start a new. They moved their entire company to a small island where they started to clone..." Snipe now pointed to himself "...us."

"So you are like those dinosaurs from that movie." Beastboy said

"Sorta." Snipe explained "The scientists didn't make us all female. They made sure to provide us with enough genetic diversity so we could populate ourselves throughout the island. Also they played with our original clones brain matter somewhat to make us on par with their intelligence. The project was intially a large failure, until of course in 1953 when the first Raptor was succefully cloned."

"Wait a second!" Raven said raising her hand "How could your creators clone you that fast?"

"They were far better equipped and way better financed and sponsered then the Soviets with their experiments."

"How come we never heard of all this?" Beastboy asked

"The entire company was stationed on a remote carribbean island, it was an extremely secret project that only SICO employees knew of."

"So how come no one found out for over fifty years?" asked Raven

"When you run a successful militarily funded and well organized bussiness barely any one can find out. Whole families were sent to the island just to make sure they didn't spill the beans. Entire towns were set up just so people could live on the island for their entire lives."

"With you guys there as well?" Beastboy asked

"Well naturally they didn't just clone an entire species back into existance just to kill them off as well. Now can I please finish" Snipe said this rather annoyed and Beastboy slunk back into his chair. "Now over the generations we had eventually grown into a well organized island society. The scientists took care of us and we were pretty manageable as well. It was only until the night of May 22nd 1992 that we learned the truth. Some of the most prominent Raptors from across the island from all Raptor communities were called to a meeting by the head CEOs of the company. There they explained what they had decided to do with us. After long consideration they decided that we'd all be bought and sold to human zoos and amusement parks across the globe. SICO itself would set up its own little show park called 'Raptor Land' or some rot."

"So basically they said you were going to become slaves?" Beastboy asked

"Pretty much yes."

"But you were on the same level of intelligence as them," said Raven astonished "if they decided to make you circus attractions and sell you off as wild animals why did they bother to turn your brains into something more then animal?"

"You make a good point," Snipe told her "the thing was though what would be worth more? A giant ex-extinct cloned lizard or a giant ex-extinct cloned lizard who could talk?"

"I'd pay to see a talking lizard." Beastboy said rasing his hand and getting looks from both Raven and Snipe "I'll shut up."

Snipe returned to his lecture

"Also they hadn't at first decided to use us as sideshow freaks. They pretty much started the whole project based on military contracts and funding. When they stopped making weapons and put all their resources into us...well they got a bit tired with the whole, super soldier idea."

"I presume the Raptors didn't take this slave news very well?" Raven asked

"You don't know the half of it." Snipe spoke loudly "We were enraged! Apparently because we were just inventions and experiments to them we didn't even qualify as living creatures to them! We were just objects, ones that could be sold or bought just to make some human skin covered greedy corporate bastards some cash!" Snipe looked over to the two superhero teens and quickly calmed down "Um no offence."

"None taken." Beastboy told him

"So what happened next?" Raven asked

"Well according to eyewitness accounts, Scarface, he was a very important figure head in Raptor society, took his chair and threw it out a window and ordered all the other Raptors to run for it. The guards tried to stop them but they fought their way out. The Raptors at the meeting escaped to the jungle back to their villages and told them of the news. Naturally everyone felt quite used and angry at our former human friends. Scarface came up with the only viable solution. Since SICO was apparently in no mood to negotiate the rights of Raptors we rose up in a rebellion against them. With Scarface as our leader we turned on our former creators and sparked what is now known as the Raptorian Civil War."

"Why was this guy called Scarface?" asked Beastboy

"He had a nasty cut across his eye." Snipe told him

Beastboy could only respond with "Yeesh."

Raven was now certain that Ryan's parents were killed by humans during this Civil War. But she wondered what the cause was. Considering that SICO thought the Raptors were meer animals they probably didn't care much about killing their hard work.

"Snipe," Raven began "how did the Scientists react to everything?"

"Oh they were surprised to be sure. They never thought meer animals would rise up against them. Eventually they settled on solving the war in a bussiness manner. Clean the slate and start again. By now us Raptors were far past the clone stage and there would be no trouble creating fresh less intellingent and self aware Raptors."

"So what does that mean?" Beastboy wondered

"It means they adopted a policy of total extermination...on us."

"So they decided on just killing you all." Raven said

"Exactly," Snipe replied "there were mass grave sites, whole villages wiped off the map even. To count the death toll of Raptor civilians is a grim task. We believe it was somewhere within the 3000 numbers. Oh they captured some, but only if they really wanted information about rebel units."

"How did the war end?" Raven asked

"Well since I'm alive we won obviously." Snipe said jokingly

"And the Humans from SICO Industries?" Raven asked

"Those who didn't die in the war eventually died on the island. There were few actually surviving humans anyway. Although Scarface ordered that we not become like the ones who had murdered us and put strict penalties on anyone who tried to kill the last surviving humans, but in the end some of them just couldn't go on. The pains of war, destruction, all those years of fighting and finally losing it all, it was all too much to bare for some. Those who didn't become weak from 4 years of endless fighting and died peacefully commited suicide. The last human to ever die was actually one of our greatest allies in the war. A scientist who defected to our side and helped us defeat his former bosses. But even with him as evidence that not all humans are bad, scars are hard to heal. Many still remember the horrible mass graves and years of war against an enemy that wished to wipe us out and sell us as slaves. There are quite a few Anti-Human groups in Raptoria who don't want Humans coming to our island as tourists or immigrants. Its a rather sad thing really."

Beastboy bowed his head

"Well that explains why Reige doesn't like us." He said

"Oh please," Snipe said "Reige grew up in the post-war years, we were all 8 years old by the time it ended. He learnt a great deal of Anti-Human humour back then. He still believes that Humans are basically hairless apes who still pick bugs off each other's backs and fling poo."

"I'm surprised that not more Raptors hate us." Beastboy said "So that begs the question, why are you helping us out if we did all those terrible things."

"Our country isn't a place where we dwell on the mistakes of the past." Snipe explained "Instead we try to learn from them and move on. We do not associate all humans with SICO industires and in truth we are apart of the United Nations, so its kinda of the whole job discription about keeping the peace. So is that all you needed to know?"

"Yes," Raven told him "thank you Snipe."

"My pleasure." The Raptor said getting up from the chair "Now excuse me, I am rather hungry. I need something before the morning is out."

Snipe left the tent and the two Titans alone. When he was gone the two disscussed what happened

"Well looks like your hunch about Ryan's parents dieing because of humans was right." Beastboy acknowledged

"Problem is his memory only shows one chopper killing his parents." Raven explained "More like a drive-by killing than a actual massacre. Otherwise the pilot woud have killed Ryan too."

"So you think he just did it fun?" Beastboy asked "Cause that seems likely considering the chopper was laughing at-"

"Don't remind me." Raven interrupted, clutching her ears

"Sorry." Beastboy replied "That was a bad moment for you huh?"

Raven was now looking away rather sadly

"It was like seeing the charred ruins of Azarath again, only worse."

The flames, the buringing buildings, her once beautiful home lying in ashes. And there was nothing she could have done to stop it. Beastboy remembered how Raven explained what she saw that had made her so angry at Slade after the library

"Yeah, you told us about that." Beastboy said "Never thought the murder of two Raptors from a long time ago would hit so close to home either."

This made Raven jump in her seat. Did he just say either? As in it reminded him of something bad as well.

"What do you mean either?" Raven asked

"Well I mean," Beastboy stumbled "I meant it as I wouldn't have seen that kinda thing really effect you in a personal way."

"Beastboy, our minds are bridged remember?" She said unconvinced by his answer "I know when you are lying to me."

"What do you mean?" He asked

"Before that chopper showed up you said something about a waterfall and a boat and then you somehow deduced that Ryan's parents were dead. How did you figure that out?"

"Dumb luck?" Beastboy pleaded recieving a shake of Raven's head as an answer. Beastboy sighed "Listen, I really don't want to bring you down after all that talk about wars and stuff. Okay. Maybe when we have a better time to talk about some of the things I said during the whole mind trip-"

"That's another thing I've been meaning to ask." Raven told him "When I was knocked out by that shadow thing you said you 'Didn't want me to leave you again.' What did you mean by that?"

"You can read my thoughts," Beastboy told her "you tell me."

"It doesn't work like that" RavenExplained "I can only send and recieve messages, same with you. Just because we can read each others minds with telepathy doesn't mean I can just go inside your memory bank and find my answer. You have to let me find it."

"Privacy issues again?"

"Pretty much." Raven answered "I don't need you crawling into my head again without my permission."

"Okay, I have an idea." Beastboy began "How about we focus on Ryan's family issues first and then we can talk about what I meant by all that stuff in your head."

"Agreed, bussiness before pleasure." Raven said nodding

"Oh," Said Beastboy perching his eyebrow "so its would be a pleasure to know about all the dark mysterious secrets in my mind huh?"

Raven looked at him monotone

"Don't push it."

Recon had called everyone into the Ops center. He apparently was about to reveal some new plan that he and Robin had worked out last night that focused on capturing Karvisko.

"Twice now three Mutants have appeared in two of the Mutant's most heavily guarded facilities." Recon said using a laser pointer to highlight the three photos on the wall "Sergey, Colonel Aleksander and of course the one called Cockroach. Last night as you are all aware we came into contact with them again. Only this time we found the Cockroach with Karvisko himself. I believe Cockroach is now most certainly Karvisko's main operative for this operation."

"Are aware of what it is?" Starfire asked

"Uh, no actually still working on that." Recon admited "However I have formulated a plan of how to catch Karvisko and it involves are two other friends here." Recon pointed to Sergey and Alexsander "Like many mutants they have learned to use their extra features to aid them in battle. Aleksander can fly and Sergey has superior strenght to our own."

"Sir," Reige said putting up his hand "did you change your name to Captain Obvious?"

"I'm making a point Private." Recon explained

"Well can you get to it please?" Reige asked immediately recieving a smack on the head from Rack. "OW!"

"Next time shut it when you get to far ahead of yourself." Rack told him

"Thank you Sargeant." Recon complied before returning to the board "Now as I was saying, Sergey and Aleksander must know something about Karvisko's plans. I doubt that either will give up the information however."

"What makes you say that?" Asked Cyborg

"Sergey is a nationalist apparently," Recon explained "he'd never do something to rat out his commanding officer. One which he idolizes I might add. He didn't say anything to us in the short time we first enocuntered him that could reveal Karvisko's plans, other then he was hoping the General was going to take charge. We can't confirm that is precisely Karvisko's plan. Even if it was we don't know how he's going to do it."

"Let's just find and capture him them. Get him to talk." Rack suggested

Recon shook his head

"Sergey may be an officer but I have a feeling he'd rather die in a prison for war crinimals then surrender Karvisko to us."

"And Aleksander?" Raven asked quivering at the name

"He's not exactly what we'd call a perfect well of information." Recon explained "He'd probably just lead us straight to Karvisko if we gave him his own blood donor clinic, however because of his mental state the intel wouldn't be reliable."

"So we're stuck huh?" Reige asked

"Not nessecarily." Recon said raising his finger "Robin came up with an idea."

Robin sat up and walked over to the board to face the others

"We may not be able to get anything useful out of the two," Robin explained "but we can find something on the people around them."

"Namely their aids." Recon added "Anyone who is remotely connected to either Sergey or Aleksander would most likely know something about Karvisko's plan. And wouldn't you know it, but we were able to track a radio message sent by Aleksander to a one Captain Vrisnakov. He's basically that overgrown bat's man in the field."

Raven's knowledge of Aleksander and his sick dream of sucking her dry made her worrisome. And with the way he was so obssessed about it was even more troublesome. She had a feeling there was something more.

"What did the message say?" Raven asked

"Oh, that." Recon stuttered "Well nothing important, just that he was suppose to report to a Mutant communications base set up at a construction site and-"

Raven rose from her seat and cut him off

"What did it say Recon?" Raven asked more demanding then before realizing Recon was leaving something out. Reluctantly Recon explained futher to her.

"The message also said that Aleksander wanted all troops under Varisnakov's command to be on the look out for you."

Raven looked away from Recon and off to the side.

"Are you okay?" Beastboy asked

"I'm fine." Raven said aloud, however in Beastboy's mind came something else 'I just have a crazy bloodthirsty psychopath after me thats all.'

'Relax,' Beastboy's thoughts tried to calm her 'that dude is a pushover. We'll beat him easily.'

'You're sure about that?' Raven asked mentally

"Yeah duh!' He exclaimed 'Its been easy so far.'

Raven returned to her seat.

'Thanks' she uttered to Beastboy

'No problem.'

Recon returned to his plan as soon as Raven sat down

"I'm sure Aleksander is not at the site himself. So we have no worries there." He seemed to be saying this to Raven most of all "The main objective is this. Find Varisnakov and bring him in. With any luck he could very well know something important about 'The Red Path' and Karvisko's ultimate plans." Recon brought up a diagram of the construction site. "We'll surround the area from all sides from the ground, then we'll land a team up here on the roof of the area. The building is 65 complete and most of the flooring is in, just be careful of some less stable areas. We'll have some of our choppers create a no fly zone around the area. That way they'll be no way for the Captain to escape. We grab him and get out, simple as that.

"When is anything that simple?" Asked Snipe sarcastically.

The attack plan was working so far. The building had been surrounded from all sides effectively trapping the Mutants inside. The Turagut Brothers, Ryan and the Titans had been inserted to the Rooftop. Recon stayed on the ground to oversee the operation in full. Most everyone was foucsed on the task at hand. Ryan, not so much. He was too busy lying on the ground like a dog trying to scratch the back of his head with his foot, apparently just for the hell of it.

"Almost...there...just a few...more inches..." His toe claws touched his neck and Ryan sighed with relief "Ah yeah, that's awesome."

Robin was not amused

"Could you do this another time," Robin said to the Raptorian calmly but not hiding his displeasure "like say when we're not a mission."

"Oh shut up you little bird-monkey," Ryan said still scratching his head "I'll do whatever the hell I want when I want."

"Bird-monkey? What does that even mean?" Robin screamed

"I believe it because you're named after a bird and you're ancestors are descendant from monkeys." Snipe explained, Robin just looked at him angirly "What? You asked what the phrase meant."

"Can we just go?" Robin asked through his teeth.

"Well someone is snippy today." Ryan commented getting off the floor

"I just want to catch this guy and get back to the tower." Robin explained to Ryan "And with any luck the capture will help get this situation under control and once that happens you can leave."

"Yeah and your city can return to the ever preverent boringness of peace and tranquility." Ryan exclaimed mockingly "How nice for you."

"Just move." Robin told the Raptor.

"Fine," Ryan said cocking his pistol "I have mutants to kill anyway."

Ryan turned around and approached the door to the building. It opened suddenly and Ryan fired. The Mutant who was shot fell down the stairwell he had just walked up moments before. Ryan turned to the other and signalled them to follow him.

"We're following a crazy person." Robin said "Great."

"You get used to it after awhile." Rack said trying to cheer him up before adding "Sorta."

Several floors down the construction site, the team to a small uncompleted hallway.

"Okay we'll split up and track down Captain Varisnakov." Robin ordered "First one to find him makes it to the rooftop to get him out of here."

"Why should I listen to you?" Ryan asked "I outrank you."

"I'm not even in the army!" Robin told him

"Exactly." Ryan rebutted

Robin just rubbed his forehead

"Fine!" Robin shouted to Ryan "Do whatever the hell you want! I don't really care!"

"Works for me!" Ryan pulled out his machine gun and ran off down the hall.

"Oh boy." Roger said viewing the spectacle.

"Should someone not go with him?" Starfire asked

"Good idea Starfire." Rack replied, he then nudged Reige "Reige go with Ryan and help him out."

"WHAT?" Reige screamed "Why me?"

"Because you said you liked watching him explode stuff." Rack reminded him

"Yeah but from behind a lead sheild and from a safe distance away." Reige explained "Can I bring along one of the superhero freaks at least?"

"Perhaps I should send one of my teammates with you Reige." Responded Robin "We need to make sure Ryan doesn't kill our target."

While most of the Titans didn't say anything to each other with their mouths at this suggestion Beastboy and Raven were talking a lot to each other themselves, in their minds at least.

'I think one of us should go with him.' Raven thought to Beastboy

'I don't think he's over the whole brain thing from last night Rae,' Beastboy reminded her 'he probably still doesn't trust us.'

'Then we should at least try to get him to trust us more.' Raven told him 'We need to let Ryan know that he can trust us with his story.'

'I still don't understand why we should bother.' Beastboy told her 'I mean I wanna know about what that stuff in his head means too but do you really think him sharing his life story would help him?'

'I'm not sure but we have to at least try.'

'Okay, but why don't you go with him?' Beasboy asked

'Because he practically hates me for the whole incident we had last night.'

'Good point.'

Beastboy walked up to Robin

"I'll go with Reige to look after Ryan."

"You sure Beastboy?" Robin asked

"Positive." He replied quickly sending a thought message to Raven 'By the way, I'm really only doing this because you asked me to.'

Raven nodded in silence at this.

When Beastboy and Reige had left to follow Ryan Robin led the remaining Titans and Raptors to the other sections of the building. They soon came across three elevator shafts that were still incompleted. The doors were stuck open and the elevators appeared to be stuck one floor below.

"Guess we won't have to worry about any Mutant coming down from here." Rack observed

"Don't be so sure." Cyborg told him looking through his infared setting on his robotic eye. "I'm detecing multiple heat signatures coming down the shaft."

"But the Elevators do not move, how is this possible?" Starfire asked

The question was answered when a platoon of mutant soldiers slid down the elevator cords and landed on the roofs of the elevators themselves. One by one they started pilling out of the shafts as the Turaguts provided cover fire to allow them and the others to fall back.

"Why does stuff like this always happen?" Rack asked as he ducked behind some boxes.

The Titans fired their projectiles at the Mutants as well, but they the enemy soldiers kept pilling out of the shafts. After awhile they seemed to stop coming and most of them appeared to be either dead or knocked out by the Titans or Turaguts.

"Is it over?" Roger asked peering his head up.

"No," Raven said "I sense more coming down."

"From the elevator shafts?" Robin asked

"From everywhere."

Ryan led Reige and Beastboy through the onslaught of mutant soldiers as the progressed throught the uncompleted building. Ryan shoved most of the through the wall-less sides of the building. Beastboy and Reige didn't seem to have much to do since Ryan was hogging all the action. In a brief lull in the fighting Beastboy tried to talk to Ryan.

"Um dude, do you have to push almost everyone off the building?" Beastboy asked

"I like watching them splat on the ground." Ryan told him

"Sorry I asked." Beastboy responded "So anyway I was wondering-"

Ryan cut him off with a 'sush' and brought his head over to a thin piece of dry wall. He seemed to be listening to something. Beastboy looked over to Reige.

"What the heck is he doing?" The changlling asked

"I think he heard something." Reige told him "And for the record kid, don't talk to Ryan about why he does crazy things. I know most of it is illogical overkill but he thinks his reasons for doing it are normal."

"He thinks that it's normal to like hearing people go splat?" Beastboy asked astonished

"Hey don't ask me why he does." Reige said "I ain't a psychiatrist. I just repeat what they tell me."

"Shut up." Ryan said in a loud annoyed whisper towards the two "I'm trying to listen here."

Ryan placed the side of his head back up to the drywall. A few seconds later he smiled and took out EARL and and reved the chainsaw up. He plunged the saw into the drywall and sliced his way through to the other side. He then pulled up his shotgun and fired several rounds into the room. Then it appeared that he ahd grabbed someone as Reige and Beastboy heard a sudden scream and a crash. The two ran in to the room through the newly opened hole and saw a handful of mutant soldiers sprawled out dead on the floor and one having his head pushed up against a small table with a radio on it by Ryan. The mutant was dressed in a traditional overcoat that many of them had already seen. He had no Gas mask on and Beastboy could clearly see the face what appeared to be a Parasaurolophus with two small horns on it nose. The mutant's helmet, that was teatering of his head, apparently ranked him as a Captain. This was Varisnakov

"Ha." Ryan laughed "I found him first! He's my prisoner! Eat that!"

"Dude, no need to gloat." Beastboy told him

"Just phone in the bird-brain and tell him we got our man." Ryan ordered pushing the mutant's head further against the table

"I demand that I be treated fairly as according to my rights as a prisoner of war as applied by the Geneva convention." Varisnakov demanded as he felt the increasing amount of pressure on his skull.

"Oh shut it asshole," Ryan responded "I don't give a damn about that stupid peice of paper. Theres only one thing standing between you and horrible pain and that my mood. Don't make me cranky."

Beastboy spoke up quickly before Ryan could do anything else.

"Recon wants him alive remember."

Ryan looked at the shapeshifter and then back to the mutant. He pulled him up and walked him ovber to the hole.

"Move it," He shouted to the mutantg before turning back to the other two "we're headed to the roof come on."

Reige and Beastboy followed

"Way to get him to calm down." Reige commented

Beastboy just smiled

"Insane or not he still has orders."

The fight had been brutal but the Titans and three other Turaguts had emerged victorious from the onslaught of Mutant soldiers. The Raptors we busy checking the bodies for any still living mutants and preparing to transport them down as prisoners. Robin looked quite pleased at howm they were able to hold their positions. Then he recieved a call on his communicator from Beastboy.

"Robin," The Green Titan said "we got Varisnakov and we're back on the roof. We signaled the chopper and are headed home."

"Good work Beastboy." Robin acknowledged "We'll clean up the rest of the building and meet you back at the tower. Robin out."

The others also heard the news

"Glorious," Starfire shouted "our mission is accomplished and our victory over our enemies is now assured."

"I wouldn't say that," Rack replied "but at least we can go home soon."

"You know," Snipe spoke suddenly "this was way too easy."

"Why do you always have to kill the mood?" Roger asked

But Snipe was right, something was amiss. Raven could sense it too. This entire operation had been way too simple, even with all the opposing forces. She knew something bad was going to happen. She could feel it and what scared her most is that she felt something bad was going to ahppen to Beastboy. She didn't know why, but she just did and it troubled her.

'Please be okay. Promise me you'll be okay.' Raven thought hoping Beastboy would hear her somehow.

Beastboy thought he heard Raven say something his mind a few seconds ago. He made it out as 'Please be okay. Promise me you'll be okay' but why would she say that? Beastboy sent out a small response 'I'll be fine, promise, why?' He never got and answer because Reige suddenly called over to Beastboy.

"Come on man!" The Raptor cried "There's a Yankees game at three."

Beastboy ran over to the chopper and climbed in as it lifted off.

"You know I can fly right?" He asked to Reige

"Well yeah but this way you don't have to flap your arms." Reige explained

Beastboy nodded at the idea, still he felt somewhat uneasy he didn't know why. Perhaps it had something to do with Raven's message. That's when he remembered who Varisnakov worked for. He turned to the captive Captain.

"Tell me about Colonel Aleksander."

The Mutant remained silent

"That vampire wannabe wants to suck my friend dry and you're going to tell me why."

The mutant didn't say anything

"Spill it," Beastboy shouted "he has some kinda plan he's gonna use to get Raven doesn't he?"

Finally the Mutant spoke

"So you went through all this trouble to find out what plans my commanding officer has in store for a girl that he wants a drink from?" Varisnakov mocked "What a waste of army resources."

"What is Aleksander planning?" Beastoby asked again

"How the hell should I know how that nut brained bat thinks?" Varisnakov asked back "He's out of his very mind! Whatever plans he has in store for your friend you might as well accept them as inevitable. He never stops at something until he gets what he wants. He's going to suck her blood and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it. You might as well just start planning her funeral cause with all the men he has looking for her she's going to end up his snack."

Beastboy couldn't stand the captain's talk anymore. He delivered a swift punch to the mutant's jaw effectively knocking him to the ground.

"Shut up, I won't let that happen!" Beastboy shouted "We'll beat your stupid colonel and every other mutant in this city. I won't let him hurt her."

"You don't understand Colonel Alexsander," Varisnakov said sititng up "he is relentless. The only thing on his mind is sucking the blood of that Raven girl he's been ordering me and almost every other mutant soldier here to be looking out for. Its how things work with him."

"Well why her?" Beastboy asked "Why her of all people?"

"You'd need to ask him yourself, all he ever told me was that he wanted her and her alone. And he'll get this Raven, you'll see."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Beastboy told him

"Too bad you probably don't have long to live." Varisnakov said

This last comment startled Beastboy.

"What do you mean?"

A lone Mutentican sargeant stood on a rooftop as he watched a helicopter fly over head, the very one he'd been ordered to keep an eye out for. He grabbed his radio.

"Colonel," He said into the radio "I've spotted the chopper that left the construction building with Varisnakov inside."

"You have your orders Sargeant," Colonel Aleksander spoke from the other line "We cannot permit Varisnakov to reveal anything that may ruin General Karvisko's plan. Fire at will."

"Yes sir."

The Mutant took aim at the helicopter with his RPG and put his finger on the trigger.

Suddenly something caught the pilots eye as he heard and a blast that sounded like a rocket taking off. He looked over just in time to see a rocket whizzing straight at them.

"RPG!" He shouted alerting everyone in the chopper

The helicopter took evasive action but it was too late. The chopper was hit in the tail balde by the rocket and the aircraft began to spin out of control.

"Mayday, mayday," the pilot shouted thorugh the intercom "Chopper 02 going down, I repeat we are going down!"

"I told you! We will all die together now!" Varisnakov screamed

"AHHH!" Reige screamed through the spinning dive "Quick you stupid green tofu eating hippie do something!"

"I can't fly!" Beastboy told him "I'd never be able to escape the dive of this helicopter! Its spinning and falling too fast!"

"I don't wanna die like this man! I don't wanna be there when I die!" Reige screamed

But through all this mayhem Ryan was calmly sitting in his buckled seat humming.

"Sir, this isn't a good time!" Reige told the Lieutenant

Ryan now began to sing

"_There was Blood was upon his Visor and his Brains were in his chute. _

His Intestines were a dangling from his paratrooper suit.

They picked him up by his vest and poured him from his boots.

He ain't gonna jump no more!"

"Dude," Beastboy screamed holding to the handle of the chopper's open door "This is so not the time to be singing that kinda song!"

Ryan paid no attention

"_Gory, Gory what a hell of a way to die! _

Gory, Gory what a hell of a way to die!

Gory, Gory what a hell of a way to die!

We ain't gonna jump no more!"

The helicopter crashed into the ground and began to spin around wildly. Beastboy saw Reige hit the roof of the chopper and Ryan knock himself against the wall. Beastboy's last vsion however was of the his face colliding with the window of the seat of the chopper's co-pilot and then darkness. As he slowly drifted off into his sub-concious he coul only hear one thing besides the echoing of Ryan's "Gory" song was the last thing he heard Raven say to him before he got on the chopper. 'Please be okay.' The question now was could he keep his promise that he would.

* * *

I can't believe one of my favourite movies is Black Hawk Down and I forgot the RPG! I hope this cliffhanger won't be too stressful for you while I'm away and I promise I'll update as soon as possible when I get back. Until then read and review. See ya then. 


	10. Titan Down

The reports of my demise were greatly exageratted, I was actually on Vacation...in Orlando...at Disney world...I rode Space Mountain a lot. Anyway, to make up for all the lost days I'm going to make it up to you by putting up more chapters in quick succession with each other. Lucky for you I have insomnia. So if you don't remember Beastboy, Reige and Ryan were on Helicopter when an RPG blew up and caused them to crash. Ryan sung a little ditty that freaked everyoneout and then the chapter ended, also if you didn't remember all OC's are my creation and I own them. The Titans however are not, but if they were I would have had a way better ending for the series then a stupid cliffhanger, although every BB/T fan would probably hate me after I create a finale that kills their ship indefinetly, oh well. So where were we...

* * *

Chapter 10: Titan Down

Panic had stricken the team still at the construction site. Although the area was now secure and the mission compeleted a new problem had arose. The chopper carrying their prisoner had been shot down before their eyes and had crashed to the ground, along with everyone on it. And 'everyone' included a certain green changling and two Raptorian soldiers, one of whom was commando. Needless to say Captain Recon wasn't happy, his mission had just lost its intiative.

"Please tell me that did not just happen." Recon asked to no one in particular still looking at the trail of smoke left in the sky where the Chopper was.

Snipe was the only one to actually say anything.

"Sir," He began "I'm afraid to be sarcastic at this point would be just plain lying."

Robin wasn't amused at all, he was desperately trying to contact Beastboy on his communicator.

"Beastboy come in."

No answer

"Beastboy, come in, what is your status?"

Nothing but Static

"Come in Beastboy! Answer me!"

Everything remained silent. Robin grew annoyed with the fruitless attempt at communication and threw the communicator tot he ground. He then turned to Cyborg.

"Do you have a fix on his location?" He asked

"What do you think I've been trying to do?" Cyborg returned slamming the lid on his arm phone. "Either he's turned it off or the thing is broken. Considering the circumstances, its probably broken."

"Please," Starfire pleaded "tell me our friend is not dead."

Cyborg and Robin couldn't answer her

"Tell me he is not dead." She said louder "Tell me Friend Beastboy has survived and is undamaged!"

Robin shook his head

"I can't."

Starfire almost was on the brink of tears. Rack in the meantime was already past that line on the other emotional high, anger.

"How the hell did this happen!" He screamed "How did they know which chopper the target was on? How?"

"They must of spotted Varisnakov getting in on the roof." Recon explained "Then they just had spotters look for where the chopper was."

"But why did they wish to harm one of their own?" Starfire asked

"Obviously to make sure he didn't spill his guts."

Starfire was confused

"Would not spill his guts happen if he was exploded?"

"I mean they didn't want Varisnakov telling us any information." Recon explained further.

Starfire was shocked at this. The Raptors themselves were not. And Rack wasn't dwelling on the possible loss of Varisnakov at all and was getting tired of the disscussion

"Enough of this!" Rack shouted to the Captain "My brother has been shot down! Dozen of 'Red Path' Mutants could be headed for him as we speak!"

"We're going to Sargeant." Recon told him "We'll leave as soon as we figure out a plan."

This didn't satisfy Rack

"Screw the plan! I'm ready to go now!"

Recon stepped up to the non-com

"I understand Reige is your Brother Rack, but perhaps you should realize that you aren't the only one who wants to find him. If we don't know what we're up against we might as well be walking into a ambush out there. Until then you will stand down!" Recon looked at the unresponsive Rack "That was an order Sargeant, I expect you to answer it with a reply."

Rack looked him square in the eyes.

"Sir, yes, sir." Rack said in an angry whisper

Rack walked away from the captain, still with an expression of anger on his face. Robin then arrived at Recon's side.

"So what are we going to do?" He asked

"Simple," Recon explained "we find a way to get to the crash site. From what I can tell the chopper crashed in the middle of enemy held territory."

"Then we find Beastboy and Reige and get out." Robin added

"What about Ryan?" Recon asked, realizing he left someone out

"Personally," Robin told him "I don't care wether or not he is alive."

"That's a little cold isn't it?" Recon asked

"I don't care." Robin answered "He's a dangerous psychopath and the world wouldn't miss him if he was dead. I certainly wouldn't."

"Listen Robin," Recon said facing the young teen "I understand you don't like Ryan, but I would suggest that you put your personal feelings about him aside. He is still on your side."

"I'm certain that's a good thing." Robin told him

Before the two could continue the conversation, Roger suddenly came running down to Recon panting.

"Uh, sir." He began "We have problem. The green kid is on TV."

"What?"

A short walk away Recon and Robin followed Roger to a TV set where the others had gathered. A new report was on about the helicopter crash.

"As we are all aware," The annoucer began "yesterday the Terrorist group known as 'The Red Path' invaded Jump City in early afternoon yesterday. The group has taken over several blocks of the city and is now registered a war zone. Raptorian peacekeeping forces are inside the city now trying to quell the situation but as we have been told another problem has developed. Sources have confirmed that a Raptorian transport chopper was shot down just a few minutes ago. Reports of who was in the chopper are sketchy at best, but we have been told that resident Superhero 'Beastboy' of the Teen Titans was one of the people on board. It is unkown if Beastboy has survived. Here is camera footage from one of our cameras on the scene as the chopper crashed to the ground."

It was weird watching what happened only minutes ago happen once again before their eyes. As everyone stared at the pictures of the chopper spinning wildly and careening towaards the ground once more. And by now Recon was even more angry.

"Who the hell told the news about this?" He got on his radio immediatetly "I want to know who the hell told the media that Beastboy was on that chopper! I don't need city residents thinking that one of their resident superheroes is probably dead!...I don't if you have other work to do! Drop it and find out what idiot told the newspeople about this now!" He quickly turned off the radio. "Great! My day couldn't get any worse!"

At this moment Starfire noticed something, Raven wasn't anyway in front of the TV.

"Where is Raven?" She asked. She looked around and saw Raven with her hood up staring off into the distance where the chopper had crashed. She floated over to her. "Friend, are you alright?"

Raven didn't answer her, she only looked over her shoulder silently and returned to her staring

"I understand what troubles you friend, I am also worried for Beastboy. But do not fear I am sure he is unharmed."

Raven took off her hood and looked over to Starfire.

"I know," She said "I am not worried about Beastboy."

"You are sure?" Starfire asked

"Positive."

Starfire slinked away, what she didn't know was the reason why Raven was not worried. She felt no great overwhelming loss, no horrible pain, no terrible feeling of dread or suffering. This wasn't happening because the mind bridge was not severed. Which, as Raven knew, could only mean one thing. And that one thing was what kept her thoughts at ease.

'He's alive.'

Miles away a chopper was lying broken upon the ground, its blades broken and its nose sticking into the concrete of the street. It's tail was gone and its windows smashed. It was wrecked beyond all repair. A small mound of dirt lurched up from the exposed ground that had once been blocked by concrete and a green groundhog digged itself out of the dirt. Looking up it saw that the chopper had crashed in an a small square alleyway and had taken a portion of a nearby building with it. Finally getting its body out of the ground completely, the groundhog morphed back into Beastboy.

"I don't wanna go on another rollercoaster ride like that for at least," Beastboy counted on his fingers and then held up two "Two months, yeah thats okay I guess." Then Beastboy remembered that he wasn't the only one in the chopper. "Oh no." Beastboy ran back to the chopper and morped into a lowland gorrilla. He tore off the roof of the aircraft and peered in. Reige was lying flat on his face whle his body up against the back wall. Ryan looked completely peaceful resting against his seatbelt. Both were still breathing. Reige fell over forwards and landed on his back.

"Ow." He said with a moan "Whats the number of that truck?"

"Oh thank god you're alive." Beastboy said as he changed back "You okay?"

Reige opened one great big eye and looked straight at Beastboy

"Would you just help me up already hippie?" He ordered

Beastboy smiled a little

"Yeah you're okay." He said lifting the Raptorian to his feet.

"Okay refresh my memory," Reige began rubbing the back of his head "What happened?"

"There was an RPG, it hit us and we crashed." Beastboy summed up "Hows that?"

"That works." Reige turned back to Ryan who was still sleeping in the chair and then back to Beastboy "You wanna wake him?"

"Yeah, wake the guy with the nickname 'Insano Commando.'" Beastboy repeated back "How stupid do I look?"

Reige just smirked

"I was hoping that the Marijuana smoke fried your brain enough to actually consider waking him up."

"For the last time I don't do drugs!" Beastboy screamed

"Sure you don't...hippie."

"Whatever," Beastboy said as he quietly added "right-winged fart."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Screamed Reige at the top of his lungs

"You heard me." Beastboy returned "You're a right-winged fart."

"I'll have you know that just because I consider myself a conservative New Yorker does not mean I'm a fart!" Reige told him

"Well you don't see me calling you that all the time!" Beastboy yelled back "So why don't you just stop thinking I'm hippie cause I'm not!"

"Fine, just keep your nasty vegetarian junk away from my meat munching mouth." Reige added

"Okay I guess." Beastboy replied. Eventually he extended his hand to the Raptor "Truce?"  
Reige took a look at the hand and grasped it with his

"Truce." Reige told him "But you're still veggie freak."

"And you're still a jerk." Beastboy retorted

Reige just smiled confidently

"Agreed."

They were both suddenly interrupted by another voice

"How touching. Now can you get me the hell out of here!"

The two turned to a now awake Ryan struggling with the harness that kept him secure in his seat.

"Hold on sir." Reige said sliding down and cutting the restraints. Ryan eventually clambered up and dusted himself off.

"Looks like we made it huh?" said Beastboy

"Not everyone." Ryan told him "Did you check the pilots?"

Beastboy clambered down to the cockpit and saw both Raptorian pilots lying against the controls dead. There was also a third body, Varisnakov.

"Oh man, this isn't right." said Beastboy looking at the three bodies

"Bring up the mutant." Ryan ordered

Beastboy didn't like touching the dead body, but he did as he was told and clambered the mutant back to the Raptors as his tiger form. He pulled Varisnakov out of the chopper by his uniform with his teeth and Ryan immediately bent down to look at it.

"Great." Reige said looking at the dead mutant "Mission failed. Just perfect."

"Not entirely." Ryan said looking through the Mutant's clothes.

"What are you doing?" Beastboy asked "You're touching a dead guy!"

"I'm looking for anything to help me find out what his friends are planning." Ryan explained before he shouted "Got something."

"What?" Both Reige and Beastboy asked

Ryan held out a small book to them, a book with the title **"How to make your own suitcase bomb."**

"Oh you got be friggin kidding me." Reige said "They're building a bomb! They come all this way just so they can build a bomb!"

Ryan flipped to page that apparently bookmarked by Varisnakov. It was list of possible explosive elements that could be used in a suitcase bomb and one word was highlighted out of all of them. But Ryan had a problem.

"What the hell does this say?" Ryan asked to his two compatriots "Xylophone, Xinoxous, xytofoam..."

"Xinothium?" Beastboy asked suddenly

"Oh yeah, thats it." Ryan exclaimed "Couldn't make it out with this freaky X spelling. You know about it?"

"Yeah," Beastboy told him "we've had a few run-ins with it." Beastboy now remebered Red X and all his Xinothium based gadgets in his suits. Specifically the ones that wrecked his hair.

Ryan kept reading.

"Xinothium...highly unstable...extremely dangerous...must be handled with care... Oh here it is," Ryan exclaimed "Says here that if used properly and refined correctly a Xinothium core can be used in conjunction with an explosive to level an entire building or, depending on the explosive used to trip the core, an entire city." Ryan shut the book "Sweet, like that arm thingy from the 'Predator' films. I need me one of those."

"Why come to Jump City then?" Reige asked

"I heard awhile back there was some kinda evil China man who tried to disintergrate Jump with a giant Xinothium laser cannon." Ryan told him "Guess they thought they could get it here."

"Yeah Professor Chang," Beastboy commented "stood no chance against the Titans. We took him down and sent his butt straight to prison."

"Wow, Interesting" Ryan said, then he paused for a short second "I don't care."

Beastboy just frowned at the Commando

"We need to get this info back to command." Ryan told them "Anyone have a radio?"

Reige shook his head but Beastboy raised his hand.

"I have a communicator, I just need to open it and..." When beastboy pulled out the communicator he noticed that it was shattered "Oh just great."

"Looks like we're on our own. New mission, wait here for the others to find us and head back home."

"Cool with me." Beastboy sais "I'm good at waiting."

Suddenly a bullet slung past their heads and Ryan pulled out his pistol

"Get down!" He screamed as he shot at the Mutant on the rooftop across from them. Another Mutant appeared with an RPG. Ryan shot him just as the Mutant fired and the rocket flew right up into the sky.

"Okay newer mission." Ryan said quickly "Get the hell outta here before more of those guys show up!" Ryan began to run out of the alley.

"That works with me too!" Beastboy said running after him

"Me three!" Reige shouted running after them as well.

Riding along inside a large armoured transport vehicle Raven couldn't help but feel somewhat worried. She knew Beastboy wasn't dead, but she felt his preseance moving away from the helicopter's crash site and to somewhere new. The problem was this, how could she tell the others this without telling them about the mind bridge and why she gave it to Beastboy in the first place.

'I hope he holds up somewhere where we can find him easily." She thought

Ryan led Reige and Beastboy through the seemingly endless streets filled with burning cars. These were obivously roadblocks to keep the Raptors out. Ryan knew they needed to find a place to hold out but he didn't know where to go. He didn't know this city, but he knew someone who did.

"Hey green man," He asked to Beastboy "Is there a place nearby we can use as a hiding spot till our friends show up?"

"I'm not sure, which streeet are we on?" Beastboy asked

Reige looked over to a sign near the corner.

"I think its second and fifth, or something." He said

"Hey there's a movie theatre not too far from here!" He exclaimed "Its got awesome popcorn."

"We'll head there." Ryan told him

"But how will they know where to find us?" Reige asked

"I'm working on that part." Ryan told them

Reige just slapped his forehead as the Lieutenant continued on.

"Is he always this way?" Beastboy asked

"I think he makes this stuff up as he goes along." Reige told him.

A few minutes later they arrived at the domeded Movie theatre, affectionately titled the Superplex and then they noticed that it was well guarded by a couple of Mutant soldiers.

"Well so much for this place." Beastboy exclaimed, he then recieved a tap on the shoulder from Reige

"Tell that to him." He said pointing

Beastboy looked out and saw Ryan sneaking up behind a car.

"What is he doing!" Beastboy shouted in a hushed whisper

Ryan unholstered his grenade launcher and aimed it at the guards in front of the door. He fired a round and watched as the two of them exploded in a blaze of fire. Ryan lept up over the car and ran head long to the front door screaming bloody murder and waving EARL around like the mad man he was with one hand while holding his M60 in the other.

"I have a freaky feeling that he wants us to follow him." Beastboy said

"Oh well," Reige said cocking his shotgun "Its go time."

Reige and Beastboy ran out of cover and straight to the front door. When they got inside they found the walkway to the ticket counter littered with bodies and Ryan still firing madly out into the main room. The two stepped over the bodies and past several blood stained posters to the giant circular room in the middle of the complex, with the concession stand right in the middle and several smaller affilated franchised restuarants off to the sides. Beastboy looked of to his behind and saw an arcade as well. Which Ryan was firing head long into and acting like the nut he was.

"Light gun? I don't need no stinking light gun!" He laughed sinisterly. Ryan then ran up the escalator to second floor and called back to the other two "I've cleared most of this area. finish off the lower theatres. I'm gonna give this suckas a horror show they'll never forget!" Ryan continued to laugh as he ran off into the theatre closest to him at the top of the escalator.

"Hope this place is insured." Beastboy said as he heard the shooting from upstairs

"Good one." Reige said chuckling a bit.

"Well at least someone gets it." Beastboy said

A few blocks away from the Helcopter's crash site, the APC leading the way to the downed chopper was fighting against several mutant terrorists as they tried to stop the the small convoy trying to get to the crash site. The heavy gun on top of the APCs were enough to keep the enemy at bay.

"More of them are headed to the crash site then I thought." Robin said from his seat hearing the commotion on the otherside of the thick steel walls.

Recon in the meantime was arguing on the radio once more

"I don't care about clearance from JCPD, I have men down in enemy territory and a whole bunch of bad guys breathing down my neck. I need to know what is happening and I need to know now!" A short pause followed soon after "Fine good, send some men over and get back to work soldier." He hung up the radio

"What's going on?" Asked Cyborg

"We have reports that the prison on the eastside got hit hard." Recon explained "The prison guards didn't stand a chance. I have men scrambling over there right now to quarantine the building. We estimate there is a large amount of hostilies inside the prison. But with our blockade up, no one is getting out."

"What's our plan?" Robin asked

"We're staying on course to the helicopter crash site," Recon told him "after we recover Beastboy and the others we'll head over to the prison."

"This is getting frustrating." Robin said drooping his head

"Welcome to my world." Recon replied

Admid all this Raven was silently smiling beneath her cloak. She felt like she had just heard something funny.

'Beastboy,' She thought 'you just have to make light of these situations, don't you?'

Reige blasted another Mutant behind a projector and moved his way thorugh the aisles of the theatre quietly.

"Where the hell did that green kid go?" He asked peering up over the bullets flying over head.

Suddenly a green mammoth burt thorugh the wall of neighbouring theatre and brough a a large two armed mutants with it in its trunk. The mammoth flung the mutant over a series of chairs and straight into another wall. Affectively knocking him out. The Mammoth then charged through the theatre seats and forced the other mutants out of cover. Reige also had to duck out fo the way. The mammoth then changed into a green lion and pounced on Mutant after Mutant in quick succession. Effectively knocking them to the ground. One mutant snuck up behind the green lion and aimed for him.

"Say goodbye." The mutant snickered through his gas mask.

The mutant fired and the bullet met the hard shell of an Ankylosaurs which then used its tail to knock the mutant clean across the room. Reige finally exited out of hiding from the carnage when the fighting had stopped. The green ankylosaurus had changed back into Beastboy.

"You know some ample warning about the stampede would have been nice." Reige told him

"Sorry," Beastboy said "got caught up in the moment."

"I almost got caught up in your giant prehistoric elephant foot!" The Raptor yelled

"I said I was sorry." Beastboy then looked to the knocked out Mutants. "What do we do with them?"

"Well if you killed them we could just leave them there." Reige told him

"I don't kill...ever." Beastboy said sternly

"Fine, I'll lock them all in a broom closet." Reige told him "How's that?"

"Fine with me."

With the theatre finally cleared and the knocked out mutants locked away until they could be brought in, Ryan, Reige and Beastboy all meet in the Theatre lobby.

"That was the most fun at the movies I've had in ages." Ryan exclaimed

"We almost got killed several times today!" Beastboy yelled "That big guy had two machine gun in his hand! TWO! And they were aiming at me!"

"Relax green man." Ryan told him "We're almost home, all we have to do is find a way to signal our friends at Raptorian command and were scott free!"

Suddenly and explosion rocked the front of the movie theatre as the windows on the doors were blown in. The two Raptors and Beastboy looked over at the now flaming front door. As a voice boomed over them.

"THIS 'THE RED PATH' DIVISION 3574, WE KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE! COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP AND WEAPONS DOWN AND WE WILL NOT HARM YOU!"

Reige was the first to say something

"I hate it when things like this happen." He said

Ryan was undettered

"Don't worry, I know exactly what to do..." Ryan paused in a dramatic pose for a few seconds "but first an orange soda!"

Ryan ran over to the concession stand and began to drink straight fromt eh tap of the machine. Then he heard something clamber out of one of the drawer beside him. He turned expecting a mutant and found something else.

"Hey! Guys!" He shouted "We got another human here."

Beastboy and Reige ran over to the concession stand and found who Ryan was talking about. A fat teenager with wild red hair, a trenchcoat and a unibrow holding a remote in his hand.

Beastboy knew exactly who it was

"Control Freak."

* * *

First appearance of Titan villian from the series in my story. Control Freak is one of my favourittes because he such a freaking nerd. Any way head on over to the next chapter, come on people you're wasting time reading this author's note. 


	11. Defence of Superplex

Good, you followed my advice from my last note. By the way, Superplex's construction is based on a movie theatre from here in Montreal. I feel every movie theatre should be that awesome, make them look like mini amusement parks. So any way you know my disclaimer, Raptors, Mutes, mine. Titans, not mine. Continue reading.

* * *

Chapter 11: The Defence of Superplex

The two Raptors and the changling stared at Control Freak for a few seconds and then the red haired teenager ran to the counter and stood up on it.

"Greetings Beastboy! We meet again!" He proclaimed in his dramatic voice "I Control Freak, master of all reality and-" He was cut short when Ryan used his tail to knock him of the counter and on his butt.

"That was priceless!" Ryan laughed

Control Freak was not amused

"Hey! You didn't let me finish my monologue."

"Like I care." Ryan told him

"Listen, I was trying to threaten my nemsis here and then you storm in and start stealing the thunder! Do I even know you?"

"My card." Ryan said passing his card to Control Freak who quickly scanned it

"Insano Commando?" Control Freak said rather confused

Beastboy was surprised he showed his card to Control Freak. He usually just killed people and didn't care afterwards.

"How many of those do you have?" Beastboy asked about the card

"I find its a lot easier then giving a long stupid speech about myself." Ryan explained

"Are you calling villianous monologues stupid?" Control Freak asked

"Yes, yes I am." Ryan told him matter of factly

"Well..." Control Freak began trying to get back on his feet. "Who cares! I wasn't even talking to you! I was talking to my nemisis Beastboy!"

Reige could only smirk

"This nerd is your nemsis?" Reige asked through his giggles

"No!" Beastboy shouted wide-eyed "He's just some geek we have to fight time to time! He isn't even that dangerous! All he has is that stupid remote and it isn't even a good a weapon."  
Control Freak was angered by Beastboy's mocking of his weapon and he didn't like being called a nerd or geek either.

"We'll see how crappy my remote is when I use to destroy you all. I came here to sell put myself on the big screen of some of the latest blockbusters, but those Mutants busted in and I've been hiding here ever since. Now I'll settle for destroying all three of you at once instead."

Control Freak pointed the Remote at the the three of them and was about to press a button when Ryan snatched it away "HEY!"

"Mine now!" Ryan exclaimed

"Give it back! Give it back!" He whined grabbing for it feebly as Ryan kept him at bay with one arm. "You don't know how long it took me to get that back from the prison evidence vault!"

Ryan pushed against Control Freak's face and the villian fell flat on his behind once more.

"Oh yeah," Reige exclaimed "he is such a nerd."

"I am, not a nerd!" Control Freak yelled "I'm a dangerous and evil villian bent on chaos and destruction the likes the world has never seen on small or silver screen! I'm more dangerous then any of the classic comic book villians all rolled into one! I have done things that make Baron Rang look like a innocent stupid Dungan! You will all feel my never ending wrath!"

Reige looked at him rather emotionessly and then pointed and shouted loudly at Control Freak.

"NNNEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRDDDDDD!"

Control Freak just stood up and dusted himself

"Fine, so maybe I am a nerd. Who cares?" He said angirly "At least I know how to work that thing! Go ahead and fiddle with it. You'll never be able to-"

"Ooohh! Whats this do?" Ryan shouted excitedly as he pressed a button on the remote. Suddenly a large holographic beam shot out of the remote and into the street where a large holographic monster appeared roaring loudly and angirly.

"Hey sweet!" Ryan exclaimed "Lets see what else I can make it do!"

"Stop playing with my remote!" Control Freak shouted

But Ryan didn't listen he kept pressing buttons and the monster morphed into a cowboy, a dancer, a missile, a knight, an alien, a robot and finally it turned into a large holographic picture of a robed woman saying 'Help Me Obi-Down Koby, you're my only hope' and then the holographic turned off. Everyone inside was rather wide-eyed with amazement

"Well that's a pretty big signal for help wouldn't you say?" Ryan exclaimed

"I'm just hoping they get that before the Mutants come in and kill us." Said Beastboy

"No one is going to die." Ryan told him "I have a plan. Find any exit in this place and seal it tight, only leave the main entrance open but put a lot of junk in the way. Find any ammo that you can and meet me back here when you're done. When those Mutants come charging in they're going to have really big gun staring at them."

"Whatever, I'm outta here." Control Freak said before Ryan grabbed him by his overcoat

"You're going to help nerd boy."

"Why should I?" Control Freak asked Ryan rather stubbornly

"Because I'm the crazy commando with a rig big gun who doesn't really care wether you die or not." Ryan explained pointing his pistol at him "Now what do you say to be being drafted now?"

Control Freak gulped

"I say, sir yes sir." He smiled nervousley

Ryan smiled rather happily

"Good, I thought you might."

Inside Jump City Prison is where many of the worst of the worst offenders go to when they are foiled by the Teen Titans, now packed to the gills with most of the Titans enemies its rather difficult to bust out thanks to the increased security. But now someone has busted in and is looking for some of the more high-powered inmates. Cockroach isn't interested in the ordinary orange shirts, he's looking for the real big time offenders guys. There is just one problem, a big metal door. One that not even he can squezze under. If he wants what Karvisko has told him to get he'll need to bust down the door first. He pressures the technician to hack the door's security system. Mostly by saying he'll kill if he doesn't do it soon. Cockroach in the meantime turns his attention the fact that he is surrounded from the outside by several angry Raptorian soldiers and JCPD officers. However he has a plan. He checks out the roster for the high profile bad guys and finds one that will suit him perfectly.

Everything was set for Ryan's plan, the only entrance was the front door and it was completely stuffed with obstacles, all intended to slow the Mutants down as they rushed in. Control freak had done what had been told to do, under duress perhaps but at leastr he was cooperative. Ryan was now behind the counter with Reige, Beastboy and Control Freak, his M60 aimed at the door.

"This is gonna be a bloodbath boys." Ryan explained as he began to chuckle "I think I'll rate it MC for Mindless Carnage."

"Has anyone told you your oneliners are extremely disturbing?" Beastboy asked with a raised eyebrow

"At least I don't monologue like some people." Ryan said looking at Control Freak

"Stop mocking monologues!" Control Freak told him "They are a stable in villian ethic!"

"Just shut up and keep you head down before me or someone else fires a bullet into it." Ryan said waving his pistol at the red haired villian

"Shuttinf up now."

Control Freak lowered his head from site and remained on the floor in fetal position or ball like position it depends on how you view it. Beastboy decided to use this time before the approaching storm to ask Ryan a question.

"I've been meaning to ask," Beastboy began "what was that song you were singing?"

Ryan turned his head to the green teen

"What song?" He asked back

"The one back in the chopper before it crashed." Beastboy explained

"A WW2 song," Ryan explained "about a paratrooper who dies a gory death during a practice drop. I thought it was the most apporiate at the time."

Beastboy should have known it had something to do with death considering the words of the song. It seemed to be Ryan's perfession, the only real thing he was good at.

"Why do you focus on death so much anyway?" Beastboy asked with a straight face

Ryan however seemed to frown at the question. Looking at Beastboy with those wild, blood red striped eyes of his, he seemed somewhat at unease with the question like he had been asked it before or he felt that Beastboy had asked a stupid question. Ryan spoke in a low piercing tone that made Beastboy's spine shiver

"When you life like I have where you know about is survival, where the only thing you think about is how you make it to tomorrow without getting your face ripped off or you heart torn out or you stomach blasted its hard not to think about it."

"Why?" Beastboy asked

"Death is a natural part of survival, you either die or you don't. Well everyone dies so the latter is inevitable. So really its a matter of when and how, as well as how many other people will have to go before you. Its something that drives you, how long can you outlast the other guy at the end of the gun, what you'll do when the moment of truth comes, when its your life or his and is it your time to go or will fate be on your side for the day. That inevitably leads you to think about your opponent, whats he thinking, whats he planning, what was he like before all this happened? Survival, thats what war is about green man. Trust me, I know. I've been to war torn battlefields with militia men aiming their guns straight at me and I with nothing to protect myself but my wits and my cunning. I've seen families, villages, ordinary people torn apart and destroyed in every imaginable way. In the end you realize that all the horrible things you watch in front of is nothing more then a sick twisted game of survival. And in that game someone always dies, I emphasize always. Someone like me, whose played that game and won a million times over knows that all to well. That's the true madness of war kid, your life is more valuable then your enemy's and if you murder and kill him you're rewarded. In the regular world they lock you up and throw away the key."

Beastboy was surprised that the so called mad man next to him seemed to know so much. Probably because he traveled extensively, to kill people as it were. So the question was why?

"Then why do it?" Beastboy asked "Why do it if you think its so horrible?"

Ryan's frown turned to a sinister smile

"Because my tofu loving friend," Ryan said "no matter how much horror there is in war, no matter sick this inasane game of survival is there is one undeniable fact for me. Reige and his brothers do it because its their job, their duty and they feel they need to do it. Me, I don't just need to do it, I want to do it. That's why I'm certified crazy, no one in their right mind would want this job, they'll feel obligied to do it for sure and they feel a sense of honor sure, but they'll never feel like they want this job, like they love this job, like this job is what they have always desired. Me, its a dream come true. I get to kill the scum of the earth and there ain't a single penalty for cleaning them off the face of the planet. Its what I love about this game, its payback, the ultimate revenge, the ultimate justice and you know what it makes me the best soldier in this army. Cause I get to volunteer for missions no one else wants. Dictators, Fascists, Guerillas, Drug Dealers, I eliminate the heart of the problem with no mess no foul. I love the sweet sound of their dieing breathes, their pitiful screams, the moment you take a crinimal's life as he realizes what it feels like to be treated the exact same way he treats others. 'Do unto others as they do unto you' the bible says. I like that quote, makes me feel justified."

Beastboy suddenly felt cold, how many sides to Ryan were there? How many different extreme mood swing and different personalities exist inside there. Which part of Ryan was telling him this? And why him? Didn't he just hate his guts hours before? And what was that stuff about 'no penalties'? Then Beastboy remembered.

"What do you mean 'no penalties?" Beastboy began "Does it have something to do with Los Angeles?"

Ryan suddenly grew tense as his body seemed to lurch forward on his set up M60. His face slowly turned to Beastboy's.

"Los Angeles was steeming pile of filth and scum," Ryan then paused as leaned up to Beastboy's face "and then I came."

Beastboy didn't want to talk anymore about this. It wa scaring him. He felt like Ryan was going to rip his head off and slurp up his guts from his neck. But something compelled him to ask further. The fact that he was getting Ryan to open up, which was exactly what Raven wanted. If he could just get Ryan to tell him more ab out himself.

"So do ever think about your death through all this?" Beastboy asked hesitantly

"We all do," Ryan told him "Death is inevitable. There is no secret, no magic cure to it. We are all slowly dying and there is nothing you can do about. But I know one thing, I'm going to die a glourious death, one the like of which the world shall remember, for all time."

Suddenly there was a large pound on the door as something was slowly breaking through the blockade.

"But that day isn't today." Ryan added as he reached into his holster and pulled out a gun for Beastboy "Take my extra pistol."

"I don't kill people." Beastboy told him

"And they would kill you without hesitation." Ryan told him

"I don't kill people...ever." Beastboy said sternly

"That's why I'm in the military and not a superhero," Ryan explained putting the pistol away "cause I'm not required to take people alive when they shoot at me."

The door suddenly burst in as the stacked up boxes in front crashed forward. The back of a transport vehicle appeared and out of its doors poured several Mutant soldiers.

"Would you like your popcorn with bullets and butter you 'Red Path' assholes!" Ryan shouted as he laid his finger on the trigger and opened fire at the mutants.

Beastboy remained under the table as the mutants charged through the door and Ryan Fired at them. Reige came up from time to time to shoot anyone who got through the obstacles. It was a bloodbath, just like Ryan said it would be, as waves after waves of seeemingly endless soldiers atttacked them with full force. Suddenly a sound was heard from above. It appeared that three mutant had broken throught the sky light and were now repeling down to the floor. Ryan was too busy with the ones on the ground and Reige's Shootgun was unable to shoot them. Beastboy knew what he had to do. He lifted up from counter a pteradactly and flew to the repeling soldiers. They tried to shoot at him with their guns but he gracefully avoided them. He lflerw up above them and snapped the ropes holding the mutants in place. They fell from their ropes and onto the ground with a thump. They were hurt, but alive. At least they wouldn't bother them again. Ryan continued to fire at the Mutants as the got closer and closer

"Come on maggots you can do better!" Ryan challenged

Mutants fell from a top boxes they climbed to get around the obstaclkes faster only to be met with bullets. Other mutants who followed the obstacles were led into firing positions. And those who used the obstacles as cover to try and get closer to the machine gunner found themselves eventually withou any cover at all soon enough. For when the reached the furest point that the obstacle would go they were pinned down with machine gun fire. When Ryan's gun ran out he had Reige reload it while he used his other weapons to cover them. His pistol and shotgun eliminated nearby bad guys with ease and his grenade launcher took on the further away mutants. But Ryan had to switch between each weapon now again, because he unlike some mutants only had two hands and could only shoot so much. The plan soon hit a snag however for ammo only last so long. When Ryan out of bullets again and turned to Reige for more there wasn't any more. Down to their last few clips of shotgun and and pistol ammo it looked like they were all pretty much doomed at this point. But Ryan had one last surprise in store as the Mutants approaced the concession stand counter.

"Things are about to get loud my friends." Ryan said pulling out a detonator

With a flick of a switch that he had rigged up while the other were setting up everything he blow several boxes with live ammunition that he had set up.

"And now ladies and gentlemen our grand finale for our theatre's little show." Ryan said "Bomb away." Ryan pressed the detonator

The explosion ran straight through the entrance lobby and disintergrated the mutants inside. The ones stgill outside met a wall of flames that caught them. A few seconds after the explosion the APC convoy had arrvied. They had seen the holographic signal from Ryan pressing the remote and they knew exactly where they should go. Now the question was were they still alive after that explosion. Robin stumbled in past the several charred bodies of the mutants and along with the other Titans called out for his teamate.

"Beastboy!"

"Friend Beastboy please answer!"

"Yo BB! Are you here?"

Eventually Beastboy and the others heard their cries after the ringing in their ears stopped and put their heads up over the counter.

"Took you guys long enough." Beastboy exclaimed and then Starfire placed him in her vice like hug

"Oh it is wonderful to see you!" She said rather fast "All of us were so worried that you had fallen in battle! Thank X'hal you well and victorious from battle against Mutants!"

"Star...you're crushing my...skeleton!" Beastboy told her through sudden gasps causing Starfire to quickly relinquish her grip.

"I am deeply sorry friend, I hope I have not damaged you."

"Relax Star I'm fine, no worse for wear." Beastboy stood up and struck a muscular pose "See!"

Then Star noticed Reige

"Friend Reige it also joyous to see you alive as well!" Starfire said happily "Would you also like a hug."

"Oh sweet mother of god bring back the Mutants." Reige said as Starfire pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

Beastboy then turned to Robin and Cyborg

"Good to see you Beastboy," Robin said giving the green titan a pat on the back "that chopper crash had us worried."

"But seeing what apaprently happened here," Cyborg said pointing to the destruction around him "I don't know why we were"

"Thanks guys its been rough couple of hours. We have some Mutants in a broom closet that need to be sent to a cell and one red hairded nerd we found moping about here."

Control Freak was standing up in behind the counter

"He, he, and that's my cue to-" As Control Freak ran the other way he collided with Rack's fist

"What a nerd." Rack said as he passed the fat tub of lard

Roger had dove behind the counter to grab some pop-corn, while Snipe pryed Reige from Starfire's hug and gave the four brother a much deserved reunion. Captain Recon marched in and led then mutant prisoners and Control Freak into a waiting vehicle.

"I help you guys set up this place's defence and you reward me like this?" Control Freak asked "Do you call this fair?"

"Yes." Everyone responded in unison shutting up the fat villain.

Beastboy in the meantime had found Raven nearby the door.

"So did you miss me too Rae?" He asked

"I knew that you weren't dead," Raven explained "in fact I was the only one who did know. Remember, mind bridge."

"Oh," Beastboy said sounding dissapointed "So you weren't worried?"

"No," Raven told him "because in a way I knew you manage. You aren't a total idiot."

Beastboy was somewhat flattered

"Awe, that's nice of you Raven...I think." Then he remembered something "Oh I got a lot of things to talk to you about Ryan and Aleksander and-"

"Tell me at the tower." She told him "It'll be easier there."

Ryan had passe don the book he found on Varinakov to Captain Recon and Robin.

"So they're looking to make a Xinothium bomb huh?" Recon said "Karvisko's ballsy I'll give him that."

"He'll need something to trip the power core," Robin told him "but it'll have to be another kind of unstable substance and even then there aren't many people who have the skills to refine Xinothium here anymore."

"Anyone in prison?" He asked

That's when Robin remembered

"Chang." He exclaimed "Karvisko wants Chang's Xinothium skills. We need to ge tto the prison now!"

"We'll head ouit immediately." Recon told him as they headed back for the APC

However Robin was stopped by Ryan when the Raptor stepped in front of him...aiming a machine gun at his head.

"What the heck are you...?" Robin began to ask

Ryan's hand slipped towards the trigger and it seemed to be as if he fired. robin closed his eyes and suddenbly heard a bang...coming from Ryan's mouth.

"You're dead bird brain." Ryan chuckled

Robin looked at the smiling Raptor and knocked the gun away from him

"What the hell are trying to pull!" He screamed

"It wasn't even loaded, get a life man." Ryan told him

"You're telling me to get a life?" Robin said surprised "You're more insane then I thought."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment." Robin said through his teeth "Why did you do that!"

"To freak you out," Ryan told him "that and I just don't like you."

"Same here."

"And why's that Birdie boy?" Ryan asked

"Cause you remind me of the people I'm suppose to stop and yet you claim to be on my side!" Robin yelled "You psychotic nut job who needs to be locked up in a cell and kept away from society."

"What society?" Ryan asked "The society of humans? The ones who cause more wars on this planet then anyone of us Raptors? How many murders do you humans commit upon each other hmm? Tell me, how is your society more sane then me? Cause all I've seen is a bunch of far more crazy people. Maybe its all of you who should be locked away. Live in my shoes for a day and you'll probably understand."

"I don't care how bad your life has been," Robin explained "I lived through horrible things too, but they never drove me down your road."

"What road?"

"You know what I mean..." Robin paused to look at Ryan square in the jaw "murderer."

Ryan's eyes suddenly grew wild and his teeeth began to bare. With a split instant Robin was grabbed by his cape as he walked away and pressed against the wall. With Ryan's claws around his neck.

"Don't you dare compare me to that!" He screamed "Just because my idea of justice includes disposing of the problem permanently doesn't make me the murderer. I stop murderers. I'm their judge their jury and executioner! The same kind of thing I could be to you!" Ryan's claws on his free hand mashed into the wall close to Robin's head mssing him by inches. "The only thing stopping me from killing you right now is the fact that you aren't the enemy and you have never commited a heinous crime against the innocent. I have a conscience, wether you believe it or not. And saddest part about it all, is that nothing would please me more then to see brains splattered all over this wall. I don't do it because i know its wrong. Thats the difference between me and murderer. I know what its like to see someone you care about die. and that why I have never hurt an innocent, ever. Even if they're stubborn little dipshits, who are ex-lame sidekicks, who are cheap hair gel wearing annoying ass pints like you!" Ryan released Robin and walked out the door. Angry as ever, maybe even more so.

Everyone was looking at the scene with awe. When it was over Stafire had ran to Robin's side to see if he was alright and Recon had approached Ryan with a face redder then anything anyone had seen. Ryan just stood there and took the verbal beating. Robin just sitted there on the ground and watched while Starfire looked him over and the rest of the team approached around him.

"Dude, what did you say?" Beastboy asked

"It doesn't matter." Robin told them standing up "At this point I only care about stopping Karvisko and these Mutants." Robin stomped away from the group to the APC.

Everyone just looked one after him.

'Do you think he'd think differently about Ryan if he knew?.' Raven thought over to Beastboy

'I'm not sure,' Beastboy's thoughts replied 'but I do know that if we told him now he'd be even more pissed that we had disobeyed his orders.'

'Now that's something you can be sure of in this world.' Raven thought over to Beastboy

* * *

Yes, I made Ryan beat up Robin. Just be thankful Bird Brain has a legitamate reason for disliking Ryan. Heck I don't really expect anyone to admire him anyway. He's not a cute little cuddly animal people. Also yes, I see the irony that Ryan hates monologues but did one of his own. I just thought you deserved a big slice of Ryan's twisted reasoning. If war is maddness then he is at home with it. Ithink that's a pretty good summary of his character. Don't worry, Recon is pretty pissed at Ryan's behaviour, he's going to make sure this doesn't happen again. Next chapter very soon, trust me. 


	12. Walking Pudding

Not one of my longer chapters, but you're getting two once again so don't hassle me about it. If you noticed I also did some re-diting to the first chapter. I got some suggestions that I could make it look better and I believe I have. Also I decided to do this chapter because the Raptors have never really faced one of the Titans foes yet. I mean Jump City usually has a problem every couple of days, would every villian in the world suddenly stop just because a bunch of Terrorist Rogue Army Mutants invaded the city? Well maybe they would considering this timeline takes place after season 5 ended but there were a handfull of badguys who escaped the final freezing in 'Titans Together.' I don't think that the world actually keep them in there however. Lets face it, their bad guys but they don't deserve to be frozen forever. So instead they all go back totheir nice warm jail cells.

Anyway, Disclaimer: Titans and Villians are not owned by me. Anything that is a Mutant Dinosaur or a Raptor does. God, I hate doing these. Of course the alternative is getting sued.

* * *

Chapter 12: Walking Pudding

Professsor Chang sat in his cell, twiddling his thumbs and not even listening to the all the commotion that seemed to be happening outside. It wasn't important to him, a lot of things weren't important for the moment. It had been months since he had returned from Paris and had been chizled out of his icy prison. He and all the other villians who joined in on the Brotherhood of Evil's plan had now commited a far greater crime then just idly robbing a bank. Professor Chang still had the whole super laser of death thing on his rap sheet so this only got him more time on his sentence. He'd be out, when he was 201. So now all he had was time, time to think, time to experiment, time to do basically nothing until his end of days. And he would have continued along on that course had fate not intervened and a certain creature with two gas masked armed escorts showed up at his door. They unlocked his cell and the insectoid-lizard like one with a half gas mask around his mouth had taken a seat on the bench next to him.

"Comrade Chang, how good it is to see you still alive." The creature said

"I'm afraid we have not met." Chang told him "Who are you?"

"You may call me Cockroach." He said "A humble servant of a noble cause led by a great man."

"Charmed." Chang said, in non convinced tone "I don't know why you are talking to me and I don't really care now please leave my cell, I have more important work to do then talk to lizard with anttena and names him self after vermin." Chang turned his head away from Cockroach and to the cell door where the two masked soldiers were standing watch

Cockroach did not say anything he only looked over to the wall near the small window to Chang's cell. There were a great deal of calculations on it.

"Does any of that work have anything to do with Xinothium Professor?" Cockroach asked with smile beneath his mask

Chang's eyes widened as he turned back toward Cockroach

"Please don't bring that substance up," Chang requested "it has brought me nothing but trouble. Not to mention humiliation."

"Do you always refer to your expertise with such shame?" Cockroach asked

"Xinothium refining isn't exactly a greatly smiled upon profession. Its usually regarded as a form of slow unintentional suicide do to its unstable nature."

"That is exactly why we are interested in it." Cockroach told him

"And who exactly are you?" Chang asked

"The new dawn for a people who have been led astray from the mighty revolution and our destiny." Cockroach explained "'The Red Path' shall lead the people of Mutentica to a new utopia and a grand new soviet Union shall be born!"

Chang was still unimpressed

"Well if you wish to pave that path with Xinothium be my guest," Chang told him "but you might as well serve up your own death warrant."

"The unstableness of the substance and its dangerous nature is why we want it Professor." Cockroach explained "Do not think I am unaware of that."

"Of course thats why you want it." Chang said "Everyone thinks that all they need is Xinothium and they'll have the greatest superweapon of all time. So did I, till it backfired."

"Ah yes," said Cockroach "your Xinothium powered Disintergrator cannon. A fine weapon, if somewhat brutish and unsuttle. We prefer to use it in a more steatlhy and explosive way."

Chang's looked at Cockroach in amazement.

"You cannot be serious." Chang said wide eyed "Xinothium is dangerous when used with precision, but to cause it to explode would be maddness! You could millions! Including yourself."

"That's generally the plan," Cockroach told him "and I'm sure you would know just how to pull it off wouldn't you comrade Chang. You did it once before in the old Soviet Union didn't you?"

Chang instantly knew what he was talking about, in the years when he was younger and asked by Communist Russian Government to make the perfect soldier.

"Those arrogant fools thought a human could maintain Xinothium exposure and become a super soldier. The only reason I agreed to it was because of the money. That and I was curious to see what happened. I'm surprised not more people died in that explosion."

"A minor loss to insure the survival of the people." Cockroach said brushing the tragedy off like a minor inconveince. "What is one village compared to an entire country. Which is why we need Xinothium, to sacrafice a small amount of lives to insure our future."

"Small?" Chang said surprised "Depending on what trips the Xinothium to explode you could kill an entire city!"

"That's the plan," Cockroach told him "all I need is a Xinothium power core. One that's poiwerful enough but small enough to fit into a suitcase."

"And you think I can tell you where to find one?" Chang asked, he recieved a nod from Cockroach. Chang could only sigh "Why would I help you find something that you could use to possibly blow up this city and me?"

"Your city is not the target." Cockroach told him "Tell me Professor, do you really care what happens to few people miles away from you."

"No but I still don't see what I get out of this." Chang told him

"You rest easy with the knowledge that you helped keep Communism alive in my country." Cockroach explained

"Hardly worth my advice," Chang told him "considering how long I've had to think about that period in time."

Cockroach's face suddenly grew cold. He could only make out his eyes, but Chang knew that Cockroach was unhappy. With in an instant Chang had pistol pointed towards his face.

"How about the knowledge you'll live another day?" Cockroach asked

Chang held up his hands in fright

"Its no use," Chang told him in a panic "there are no properly refined Xinothium cores in this city. The company who had them sealed in the vault moved their entire stash southward down the coast. I don't know of anyone who-" Chang stopped, he suddenly remembered, someone "Wait, there is one."

"Who?" Cockroach asked, still aiming the pistol at Chang.

"A certain black caped, skull masked theif who is one of the causes for my being here. And if the Brain had listened to me he would have known the traitorous little ass would have turned on us so quickly."

"Who is he?" Cockroach insisted

"A crinimal who goes by the name of Red X," Chang told him "I madw his costume for a certain Boy Wonder before he stole it for himself. More specifically I gave him the power source for his suit. A Xinothium core, placed inside his suit's belt. It powerful enough and small enough to fit your needs."

Cockroach seemed to smile and put away his weapon.

"How do I find him?" Cockroach asked

"He's a theif, figure it out yourself." Chang told him "He'll probably want something big and valuable for himself to fence."

"I'll manage that myself."

Cockroach smiled beneath his mask, he got what he came for with Chang. He exited out of the cell and shut the door tight. He looked towards his two guards beside him.

"We're leaving," he said "pack up everything and lets get out of here."

"But they are blocking the outside." One of the Mutants told Cockroach "How will we get past them?"

Cockroach simply walked down the aisle of the prison and pressed the acess code for a large door in front of him. He entered into a peaceful blue room with calming music and in the center of this room was man in a glass tube sleeping.

"Unhook it from its restraints and bring it to the top of the structure." Cockroach ordered his men.

The two soldiers took the tube out from its holding area and careful began to walk out of the room with it. Cockroach smiled under his mask once more.

"As Americans say," Cockroach chuckled "wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey."

Outside the prison stood a large blockade of Raptorian Soldiers and JCPD Officers. Large army vehicles accompanied the smaller less armoured Squad cars. The the spotlights were blaring at the prison's windows trying to spot any sign of movement. But one thing was for sure, no one was going to get out without a fight. The Titans and several of their Raptorian friends were already on the scene. Recon had already relegatted both Robin and Ryan to stay at least five feet away from each other. If they couldn't work together they wouldn't work with each other at all. Ryan at the moment was staying inside one of APCs, Robin was with the titans outside. In the end Recon had put aside those small dissagreements to focus on the task at hand.

"According to the JCPD," Recon began as he addressed everyone "our mutant friends inside have pretty kept quiet since they invaded the prison. There are no hostages and no demands."

"So how come we haven't busted in there?" Cyborg asked

"I have no idea how many of them there are." Recon explained "That and they could have recruited some of the inmates to help them, wether as weapons or sheilds."

"I thought you said there were no hostages." said Robin

"None that we know of." Recon explained further "We haven't heard anything from the mutants inside and they refuse to open a line of communication with us."

"So were just going to sit here and wait all day?" Reige asked with amazement

"As long as this blockade is up no one is going to escape." Recon told the private "That's our mission now soldiers containment. They'll make their move soon enough."

"Okay then," Rack said arming his weapon and motioning to his brothers "we'll head on up to front of the blockade then. Come on squad."

"Can I bring my chili dog?" Roger asked holding his drippy weiner in a bun up

Snipe just shook his head

"Everywhere we go you have to bring food." Snipe said "If you can't bring food in some place you refuse to go. Why must you always stuff your 24/7?"

Roger thought it over for a few, working the cogs inside his simple mind. He eventually finally found a response.

"So I can bring my Chili Dog right?"

Snipe smacked his forehead and simply grumbled away following Rack and Reige. Roger followed soon after stuffing his meal into his mouth. The Titans followed with Recon after them. Everything seemed normal at first glance, until the spolights saw something on the top off the building. Two mutants with gas rolling a glass tube near the side.

"What the hell are they doing?" Recon asked looking through his binoculars

"That glass tube looks famaliar." Beastboy said scratching his neck and looking at the scene above them.

Suddenly the mutants threw the object over the side. It careened towards the ground.

"Everyone duck!" Recon called

Everyone put their heads down as the glass tube collided with the concreate. Glass shards spread everywhere and the sound of splashing water was there as well. Everyone put their heads back up to see what was going on. Lying on the ground in front of them was a man in only his underwear who seemed to be stiring from his sleep.

"Oh no." Beastboy said suddenly remembering where that tube was from "We are so doomed."

"What?" Reige asked in amazement "It just some dude in his undies."

The dude in his undies however suddenly awoke and the second he did he grew several feet tall and no longer resembled a man at all. He was covered in goo and had several green globby eyes on his head. The creature howled from his gigantic mouth at the blockade.

"What the name of sweet zombie Jesus is that?" Reige screamed

(Yes this is a "Futurama" Referance)

"That would be your dude in tights." Raven told him

"He's called Plasmus." said Robin, staring at the giant walking blob.

"Has anyone told him he looks like a giant peice of walking poo?" Reige asked

Before anyone could respond Roger gave his opnion

"He looks more like a giant walking pudding thing to me fellas."

"Pudding isn't suppose to look this mean!" Snipe shouted at him.

Plasmus began to walk towards the Blockade, roaring and screaming at them as well.

"Open fire!" Ordered Recon

Everyone in the blockade did as ordered, but the shots didn't seem to hurt goo monster. Rack fired ferociously with his Sub-Machine gun, Reige fired round after round with his shotgun, Snipe fired from the sniper rifle in his head into each of the creatures eyes but nothing seemed to work. Roger's assault rifle was also useless, as well as Recon's rifle. Robin, Raven, Cyborg and Starfire, (Beastboy has no long ranged attacks) fired at the monster they had battled many times before. But the creature still kept coming.

"Everyone fall back!" Recon ordered

The blockade members fell back as the monster continued forward. It lifted up one of the JCPD cars and threw it at one of the Raptorian armoured cars. The military vehicle flipped over on its side while the smaller police car began to leak oil. Plasmus continued his path of destruction through the blockade. Knocking cars out of the way and throwing them at the soldiers and police men shooting him. They avoided the flying vehicles easily, but if Plasmus got to close he knocked them away. Cyborg tried to get in close to fire a shot from his sonic cannon but was knocked clean across the courtyard. Starfire attempted to bring him down with her starbolts, sut Plasmus was still uneffected. He then lobbed a giant ball of goo straight at the poor alien girl causing her to land on the ground in a heap.

"I do not like it when we must battle this monster," Starfire said trying to wipe the goo off "he is most...disgusting."

As the Raptorians and Cops tried in vain to stop Plasmus with their guns, the monster lifted another car. But Robin used one of his disks to freeze the arm holding up the vehicle. Plasmus seemed uncaring, he simply ripped the iced arm off and grew back another. Then he used his frozen arm like a club and tried to smash Robin. However he easily jumped away before the final hit came down. Beastboy tried to tackle Plasmus in the form of a Triceratops. But Beastboy simply collided with the monsters and passed through to the other side. When Beastboy returned to his human form he was covered in goo.

"Why does this happen everytime we fight this guy?" He asked himself "And why does it always happen to me?"

As Plasmus continued his attack on the blockade, Reige and Roger took cover behind a police car.

"I'm just a Raptor with a shotgun." Said Reige "I didn't ask for all this superhero and monster junk!"

Roger had his mind on other things as he watched Plasmus continue his rampage.

"What flavour pudding do you think he is?" Roger asked Reige

"He's not pudding you Texas Trailer Lunkhead!" Reige yelled at his little brother "He's just goo! GOO!"

It was at this point that both Raptors heard a engine revening sound. They turned across the courtyard facing away from the carnage and watched as a police truck broke out of the garage, sped throguh the broken blockade and crashed through the fence and onto the streets of the city. Everyone else was so busy with Plasmus they never really noticed.

"What just happened?" Roger asked still looking at the place where the truck had crashed through

Before Reige could find a response, the car they were hiding behind lifted up into the air and now standing over their head was Plasmus holding the car with both his arm.

"Roger," Reige said calmly still looking at the monster towering over them. "Have I ever told you how much I hate my life?"

"All the time." Roger replied

"Well I just want to repeat that," Reige told him "I hate my life."

Before Plasmus could do anything, Raven launched another car straight into the monster. Plasmus dropped the car he was holding onto the ground and missed the two Turaguts. Cyborg finally returned and blasted Plasmus with his sonic cannon. But Plasmus was still kicking.

"Does this guy get tougher everytime we fight him?" Cyborg asked to no one

Suddenly, a loud sound of a war cry was heard and everyone looked to see Ryan running on top of the cars, chainsaw in hand, straight at Plasmus.

"What is that lunatic doing now?" Robin asked himself

Ryan launched himself straight into Plasmus and clawed his way inside while the monster screamed at the what the Raptor was doing. Soon Ryan was completely sumerged inside Plasmus.

"Eww, gross." Beastboy said covering his eyes

Suddenly several eyes at the top of the monster's head burst open and Ryan came flying out.

"WWWHHHHHEEEEEEEEE!" Ryan shouted in delight until he came to a sudden stop ontop of a car. He raised his chainsaw in the air and said "I wanna do it again!"

With the Monster dazed, Raven finally had an opening to use her ideal attack against Plasmus. She meditated crosslegged in the air and launched her soul-self into Plasmus. The creature moaned and creid for a few seconds and then collapssed on the ground spreading goo everywhere. Some of it landed on Roger who licked and then just as quickly spit it out.

"Oh man, that is so not puddin'." He sputtered

Reige just shook his head

"I swear," Reige muttered "Mom dropped your egg on its head, then you hit on the ground when you butted your way out. Why else would you eat a goo monster's goo?"

"I needed to be sure what flavour of pudding it was." Roger commented

"You are such a moron." Said Reige angirily

when the dust had settled the man in his undies lay there sleeping where Plasmus once was. Ryan had lifted himself off the car by then and landed with a thud on the concreate under him

"Maybe I didn't need to get inside the monster to launch a grenade but I think the results were pretty much the same." He said to no one in particular.

Moments later the Raptors and officers stormed into the prison, in order to Plasmus' human form back in another container and to finish off the mutants inside. They had had enough of the waiting game. But when they had entered they found no one around. Mutants had left. When Reige told everyone of the Truck that had escaped during the fire fight with Plasmus Recon was none too amused.

"So they release that monster to keep us busy while they steal a police vehicle and drive off. Just our luck."

Robin had come back from interrorgating Chang in his cell.

"Chang says they came to him asking about Xinothium." He told Recon "He said they threatened to kill him if he didn't tell them where they could find one."

"Did he say where he told them he could find one?" Recon asked

"He said it doesn't matter cause they probably won't even get it." Robin explained "That and he wants a reduced sentence before he tells us anything."

Recon just sighed

"Screw it," He said "we'll go back tot eh tower and find out where they could possibly find a Xinothium core."

"What about that truck?" Robin asked

"We'll never find them now, besides I just got a call a few minutes ago after we locked Plasmus back up." Recon said "Looks like the US military has finally arrived here in Jump. As of now they are taking over the job of stopping the insurgency. WWhich leaves us with the far more simple task of stopping Karvisko."

Robin just breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't need to worry about the city as much anymore, the army was on the job. Now he could just focus on one bad guy.

"Considering everything else we've been through that is probably the biggest break yet."

* * *

Why Plasmus? Cause I wanted someone to say he looked like what he looks like...a giant walking disgusting turd. DC Kids didn't even want to say poo on their show because it would gross out children. Kids pick their noses guys, they don't care. Riege's Rudeness is basically a mouthpiece for the audience, he says what he wants to say when no body thinks about saying it. Like Howard Stern only less depraved and Reige considers himself a Republican. Snipe is probably the more Liberal minded of his brothers sine he never resorts to trash talking to get his point across. He just mocks them with sarcasm.

That brings me to this. I want to ask that all people who read this Authour Note, in your next review please tell me what you think of all my Original character so far. Well maybe not all just the Raptors. The Mutant characters are made up just for this story. However if you like their personalities as well please tell me. I'd really like to hear your feedback on the OCs. Maybe I'm just looking for recognition or maybe I'm just trying to see how far I can push this universe to tolerate the Titans living with them.


	13. Memory sharing and Red VS Red

Listen, Romance for me sucks. I tried once doing a big fat stupidly obvious romance in one of my stories. And looking back on it was cheesy. Thats why I'm going to revamp the whole thing. So if anyone is sad that there has been a low amount of romance in this story I'm sorry. However I do have a way around it. From now on I never have the characters kiss. I wait for a long dragged out amount of time to build the relationship and then I eventually let it spring forth. Thats why you shouldn't expect a makeout scene at the end. I'm sorry to dissapoint but that the way it is.

Also Red X makes his appearance, and I think I did a pretty good job with him

Disclaimer: Titans and Red X don't belong to me. The Raptors and Mutants do. Thats it I'm copying and pastin g from now on.

* * *

Chapter 13: Memory Sharing and Red VS Red

The roof of Titans tower is NOT a parking space, but the Raptors had made due with what they had. The roof was large enough to hold several transport choppers. Although most were alterating with the carrier and the tower for supplies and troops it still made a decent landing zone. And even with its newest residents being a tools of war, the tower's view from the roof was still rather peaceful, if somewhat a little clogged when view from the wrong angle. Ever since the titans had gotten back Robin, Cyborg and Recon were all busy searching for any nearby Xinothium cores. So far they had gotten nothing and had pretty much given up for the night, except Robin of course who knew he'd find it sooner or later. Starfire had been treating the Turaguts to more of her alien deliquecies and recipies to her Raptorian friends the Turaguts. In all the Raptors that had moved onto the island had grown a taste for Starfire's foods. Obviously Starfire was rather pleased that more people, well lizards actually, had taken a liking to her particualr taste in food. Perhaps it was because Raptors have different tastes then humans. Still it didn't stop Starfire from conversing with her new friends about their lives in Raptoria, their adventures and vice versa for Starfire. Perhaps some of the Raptors had a crush on Starfire, it was only natural since most of them were young adults. When they weren't talking with Starfire the Raptors were playing games with Cyborg, Beastboy or each other. The Gamestaion was really starting to get some real use out of it. To be fair though the tower was rather crowded at the moment and it was hard trying to work with all the new residents inside. Robin was beginning to think that if he ever wanted to start a more exclusive groupo of Teen superheroes he would need a bigger tower or perhaps more towers. He was unsure. As for Raven she had spent most of her time in the one room that was off limits to Raptors, hers. Although she may have had to share it when they need a place to sleep as long as she was awake they weren't getting in. She still had privacy standards. Her and Beastboy hadn't had much time to talk about Ryan's condition since they got home. Beastboy did tell her however to be careful for Aleksander and his ever growing desire to drink her blood. However, she doubted that the vampiric Colonel still had enough Gray Matter left to think up a plan of actually getting his drink from her. That didn't mean Raven wasn't afraid of him, she was, but she wasn't to afraid of getting caught by him. For now she decided to do a little Star-gazing on the roof, see if she get some meditation done. However she was kinda hoping something would come along to help her break that part of her routine. Eventually something like that did. A familar voice echoed through the evening air and enetered Raven's ears.

"Hey Raven." Beastboy's voice said from behind her.

Sure enough there he was walking up to sit beside her. She didn't say much until he sat down.

"How'd you figure I was up here?" She asked

"Well it is your second favourite spot," Beastboy explained "nest to you room of course. That and its easy to find you when you can sorta locate each others brainwaves." Beastboy said this while knocking his noggin. Raven sorta chuckled at this.

"So why'd you want to see me?" She asked

"I never really told you what Ryan talked to me about with me in the theatre." Beastboy explained

"Ah yes, sorry I never gave you a chance." Raven said "But I was still trying to deal with all that happened today. Especially the fact that theres a loony Russian dinosaur General out there trying to make a bomb and another even loonier dino-bat trying to suck me dry."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Beastboy apologized rubbing the back of his neck

"Its okay," Raven assured "things like this always seem to happen to us. I've gotten use to it."

"Sure does." Beastboy acknowledged "Still somethings you don;t get used to. Like goo-monsters that spew their junk on you."

Raven chuckled lightly at this

"Good point."

"So," Beastboy said clapping his hands together "lets get down to bussiness." Would you like me to tell you the whole thing or would it better if I showed? You said we could share memories with this mind bridge."

"I'd like to see Ryan's face when he's talking." said Raven "Otherwise I can't make a good guess as to what he's talking about. So showing me a memory would be a good idea."

"Okay then." Beastboy said breathing in deeply and closing his eyes. He held this pose for several seconds and then opened on of his eyes "Um, how do I do that?"

Raven rolled her eyes.

"You're the same as ever." She told him "Okay just focus on the memory you want me to see and I'll be able to focus on tha precise moment in time. You can do that right?"

"Simple, I can be focused when I want to."

"Do you always have to 'want' to be something before you can do it?" Raven asked him with a rasied eyebrow

"You can read my mind Rae you tell me." Beastboy said back

Raven stared at him for a few second with a blank expression on her face. Obviously reading his mind for an answer. It took her awhile to get the full gist of what Beastboy was thinking. Not because he had a slow brain, but because he had an interesting answer regarding why he did things when he wanted them. The short answer of it all was, "_If I do too many things that aren't normal for me at once, I don't really know who I am anymore._" Raven finally broke her silence.

"You're a very complicated person under there aren't you?"

Beastboy smirked

"Well maybe if you ever want to you can come into my brain and find out."

"Very funny." Raven said sarcastically "Can we get back to Ryan's little speech please?"

"Fine," Beastboy smiled "bussiness before pleasure."

"Way before." Raven emphasized

So Beastboy concentrated on his conversation with Ryan in the theatre. It was easy, because when you heard the way the Raptor talked about it was something you never forget. Not even in your darkest nightmares. And soon Raven would know this as well. The memory sharing process felt rather pleasant, between the two heroes minds, as it began even. Like a nice cool breeze on eachother's faces. Though in truth it really wasn't going to be a plesant memory. The memory slowly came into focus in Raven's mind. Out of what seemed to be thick layer of white fog came Ryan's face and his voice...and his speech about death.

The Jump City Museum holds several valuable artifacts inside its walls. Including one extremely priceless Japanese Jade Sword. After many centuries this peice of Japanese warfare was considered worth 10 thousand dollars. And this made it the perfect target for one very determined theif who was having a major shopping spree since Jump City got invaded by the Mutants. Red X had already broken his way in through a sky light and was now working on the lock to the display case where sword and its holster were kept. Without either the sword or its holster the weapon was rather incomplete. So Red X would need them both. He had already stacked his hideout with a lot veneralbe loot since this crisis began. Too many people fighting each other to notice a few missing Stereos and TVs, and some Gold Records, and some money from the blown out armoured car, and some priceless jewels, etc. etc etc. Its easy to say Red X had been having a field day. And as soon as thei whole crisis was over he was going to hit paydirt. His only obstacle before he called it a night was a god forsaken five peice custom made lock. Which wasn't entirely impossible to crack. Soon the familar click sound of the final lock was heard and finally Red X had his prize. The Jade Sword was his. A quick stuff into its holster and it securely fastened to his back, Red X made his way out the way he came. No Alarms, no guards, no problems. Everything had gone according to plan. Except, nothing ever does. As soon as the Red X set foot on the the museum's roof he heard several cocking guns behind him. He turned to see a three whole squad of those invading gas mask wearing mutants aiming straight at them.

"Darn, if isn't those Superhero kids it something else." Red X muttered to himself.

Appearing from between the three squad of mutants, 12 in all, were two figures. One a Lizard with a half gas mask on his face, six limbs and anttena sticking out of his head, the other a more bulkier reptile with a club tail, a broad head, a two legs that looked like they came off a two legged meat eater and a General's hat and uniform.

"Mr. Red X, I presume." The one in the General's hat said to the thief

"Sorry, you caught in the middle of my job." Red X informed "Who are you exactly?"

"My name is General Karvisko of the Mutentican's People Army." He said "Or I would be if the Mutentican's army was Socialist still."

"Well that too bad for you sir." said Red X "To tell you the truth though I don't understand why such a big high-ranking fellow like you would want to talk to me a low life theif."

"I require your assitance in little plan I have in store." Karvisko told him

Red X just puffed at the assumed offer.

"Sorry, I don't do jobs for people who invade my hometown. Even if the money is good. You guys attacked my favourite movie theatre. You know how long it gonna take to ge tthe bullet smoke smell out of Superplex's popcorn? Months!"

"Typical selfish American," Karvisko frowned "never considering to help others. Always only thinking about yourselves and gain more pocket cash. Then again aren't all theives like you capitalists in your own right."

X just continued to nod at the mutant

"Yeah, yeah, listen is this gonna turn into some stupid Socialist preaching class, cause if I wanted that I'd have stayed in College. Left after a few years, had some wild parties though."

Karvisko just sighed deeply

"Very well, I'll get to the chase then. you have something I want."

X clutched at his jade sword on his back

"No way pal, this my sword now. you should have got here earlier you practically had two days already!"

"Not that useless triquite on your back you fool!" Karvisko shouted

"Useless? Don't you know anything about priceless artifacts?" Red X asked in amazement "Well, neither do I but I only really cared about how much they worth anyway, so I guess that shouldn't matter."

"Just shut up!" Karvisko yelled "I want your belt you idiot!"

Red X's eyes in his mask widened

"My belt?"

"More specifically it Xinothium based power core." Karvisko told him

Red X was even more surprised at this statement

"Whoa, whoa, hold on dino-breath. You do know what Xinothium is right?" Red X asked

"Its a highly unstable element used in extremely dangerous weapons and is pretty much outlawed for any destructive use." Karvisko informned X

"So you know how extremely volatile this core is don't you?" Red X asked

"Yes that's why I want it." Karvisko explained

Red X looked at his belt and then back at the General

"You thinking about making a weapon with it huh?" Red X asked "Some kinda super grand scheme? Put Communism back on the map?"

"Why do you care?" Karvisko asked "You're a theif, you only care about how much you gain for yourself. Have you ever done anything someone else?"

"Okay," Red X explained holding out one finger "first off. I don't really have anybody I would like to share my spoils with and second of at least I don't have plans about using belt to blow stuff up for crazy causes. I'm pretty much content with just making an easy cash living."

Karvisko's men pointed their guns straight at Red X once more

"I don't care what you think of my cause capitalist," Karvisko told X "I need that belt."

"Sorry," X replied "but I don't help nut job rogue armies, that and I need this thing for my job."

"Either hand me the belt or I will rip it off of your corpse." Karvisko said as his soldiers armed their weapons at X. Then Karvisko's frown turned into a smile "On second thought, I'll just do latter anyway. Kill him!"

The Mutants opened fire on Red X, but the thief dodged their bullet as he swung across the rooftop of the museum. The Mutants charged, but Red X was ready for them. He lauched several X shurikens at the mutants, knocking their guns out of their hands. Two other that hand avoided the intial attack recieved a double roundhouse kick to both their faces. One mutant rushed X with a machete but the theif fired a sticky X net and caught the mutant moments before they collided. The mutant thrived on the ground trying to escape his prison

"So much for boot camp training huh guys?" X mocked

Another mutant rushed with a bayonet from behind but X fliped up on his arms and caught the mutant with his legs. Then he completed the flip and pushed himself off the back of the mutant. The dinosaur hybrid careened acrosds the rooftop and slammed right into an air vent. More Mutants attacked but X threw an explosive X--bomb at them and jump away. The charging mutants retreated and X started to jump away from them on the rooftops. Karvisko however wasn't detered. He simply turned to his insectoid companion.

"Cockroach." He ordered "Bring me the belt, by any means nessecary."

Cockroach opened up his buzzing little wings and began to hop across the rooftops after X. Karvisko smiled, the belt would be his, one way or another.

The memory soon ended and Raven was left in awe of it all. She suspected Ryan had problem but she never expected that!

"That was creepy." Raven said rubbing her head

"How creepy?" Beastboy asked

"On a scale of 1 to 10," Raven started "creepier then any of my books."

"So an 11?" Beastboy asked hesitantly

"Pretty much." Raven acknowledged trying not to laugh an dget her question out "Anyway what did you think of it first time you heard it?"

Beastboy scratched his head

"I kinda thought about what Recon said," Beastboy explained "he was probably having a mood swing. One minute he's all serious, the next he starts acting like his little speech is a funny fishing story."

"I noticed that too." Raven acknowledged "He has a very complex view of the world, especially when it comes to justice. You heard what he said to Robin."

"Judge, jury, executioner." Beastboy said counting off the titles on his fingers "He likes to solve problems his way and no one elses."

"Basically killing off the problem." Raven added

"He also didn't sound like he was afraid of death at all." Beastboy continued "Almost like he was ready for it."

"He did didn't he?" Raven complied "I suppose it would have something to do with his insanity since he explained why it made him a better soldier. He does things others would never want to do. He takes jobs where no one expects him to survive."

"But he does." Beastboy told her "He rode a crashing blimp for the love of god."

"How can someone whose judgement is impaired enough that he names his chainsaw be good enough to avoid getting killed?" Raven asked

"You think it has something to do with the fact he likes his job a lot more then he should?" Beastboy wondered

Raven suddenly had a lightbulb go off

"Beastboy you're a genius."

"I am?" The changling wondered in astonishment

"Ryan loves war." Raven told him "Thats the reason he became a soldier he loves war. He like fighting, he likes killing and the army is pretty much the only place where he is allowed to do it."

"Otherwise he'd already have gotten the chair." Beastboy added

"Exactly." Raven acknowledged "Except he kills those he obviously concives as evil people, corrupt people, ones he doesn't think should live. And he uses war as a way of accomplishing that. Beastboy, he's addicted to stopping bad guys, really bad guys. He already said he killed dictators and Vicious Jungle guerrillas. War brings out the worst in people and that means he gets to kill the worst in people."

"But war killed his parents didn't it?" Beastboy asked

"Not the way Ryan sees it." Raven explained "He sees it as an evil person killed his parents. And he now wants to destroy that evil, most likely so it never happens to somebody else ever again."

"But losing your parents wouldn't make you go insane so quickly." Beastboy told her

"Remember the memories we saw in his mind?" Raven reminded him "Those were all the things that compressed and built themselves up into Ryan's mind. He hid them away and tried to forget them because he knew he couldn't change them. He must of snapped, I don't know how, I don't know why, I don't know when, but there must of been some point where Ryan just couldn't hold those memories in anymore."

Beastboy scratched his chin a little, trying to think. Then it hit him.

"Los Angeles," Beastboy exclaimed "it must of been in Los Angeles! He must of taken out his anger on everyone in the city he saw as a bad guy and went ballistic."

"See you are a genius." Raven complimented

"Now I wouldn't say that." Beastboy said attempting to be modest

"All we have to do is get Ryan to reveal what happen in Los Angeles." Raven explained "Question is how?"

"Well all those dead pople on the streets wouldn't be easy for anyone to keep out of the news," Beastboy suggested "so maybe that's our answer."

"I could do some research about any mass murders that happened in Los Angeles." said Raven

"Great."

Beastboy was feeling pretty proud of himself for the moment, he had almost forgotten that he had anything else to talk about.

"So, is there anything else we have left to discuss?" Raven asked

Well, almost.

"Actually," Beastboy admitted "yeah there is."

Raven listened intently

"When the chopper had crashed and the Mutants were storming the Superplex I was kinda thinking about how I might not make it out alive." Beastboy began, trying to sound as serious as he could. He still came across as childlike however. "I've never really thought about stuff like that when I go out on missions."

"You usually don't have mentaly psychotic dinosaurs talking to you about death often." Raven told him, trying to make things easier for him.

"Yeah, good point." Beastboy replied "Anyway, after we got out of that theatre I couldn't help but think about how I would have felt about it all if I knew I was going to die and there was nothing I could really do about it. Kinda like my parents."

"What?" Raven asked

"I want to show you something that I've never told anyone, at least no one in Titans Tower and Jump City. But it isn't very good."

"Go ahead." Raven said as she waited for Beastboy to concentrate on the memory.

The same feeling of a calm cool breeze fell over the two. Pretty soon the fog that appeared in each other's minds eyes dissapeared. Raven was now looking at what appeared to be a small river boat in the middle of the jungle. Kinda like the ride at that Amusemant park in Orlando. On the boat were two people, a man and a woman. The man was piloting the boat while the woman was apparently sitting next to Raven, or more apporiately Beastboy because this was of course his memory being seen through his eyes. Raven saw beastboy look over the side of the boat a long with the woman he was with. But Raven saw through Beastboy's eyes was a different reflection in the water. Beastboy looked like he was now except somewhat younger, like at the age of seven. Obviously this was after he had gotten his powers. If Beastboy wasn't even a teenager yet then these two people must of been his parents. Raven remembered something Beastboy said in her mind about a boat and a waterfall...and then he blurted out suddenly that he figured out Ryan's parents were dead. Raven didn't like what her mind had come up with. Suddenly the boat began to sputter. The motor had apparently gone out. The man went back to check on what exactly was happening, but in his haste he accidently spun the boat into a rock's direction. The boat collided with the rock suddenly and knocked itself sideways. It began to skid across the hard surface of the rock and there was nothing the man could do to stop it. He tried to steer away off the rock but as he did there a large snapping sound. He ran back to other end of the boat, called out that 'The Rudder was out' and pointed up ahead. Beastboy's, and Raven's eyes turned to the general direction of his finger and saw a waterfall approaching quickly. The motor suddenly came back to life and propelled the ship at full speed towards the waterfall. The crushing wall of water would demolish the tiny ship and everyone on it. There was nothing the two adults could to stop the boat. The woman faced straight into Beastboy's eyes and told him to 'Fly away' Beastboy's head shook somewhat but the mother told him once again even louder this time to fly away and leave her behind. She added 'Please listen to mommy, fly away.' Finally Beastboy did as he was told and the next thing Raven knew they were flying into the air. Beastboy looked back at the ship just in time to see it envelopped by the wall of water. That's when the memory ended and Raven suddenly came out of it. She was now back on Titans Tower looking at Beastboy.

"I told you it wasn't good." Beastboy said solemnly looking down at the floor

Raven now understood why Beastboy didn't want to tell her exactly what he was talking about with the boat and the waterfall. Like Ryan, he had also lost both of his parents.

"I didn't know Beastboy," she said "I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"No its okay." Beastboy assured "I guess I needed to share it with someone here."

"Well, why did it take you so long?" Raven asked

"What? And make everyone feel sorry for me?" Beastboy retorted "It would only bring people down. Thats not me Rae. The fact I lost my parents is sad and I've never really gotten over it. I mean how could you? At first I tried to blame myself for not trying to save them, then I blamed the rock, the engine, the waterfall. I was angry at myself everyone else. Eventually I realized that no one was to blame. It happened, it was an accident. There was no reason to feel sorry for myself or get angry at anyone." Beastboy turned to face the water in the bay of the city. "Do you ever wonder why I tell jokes Raven?"

She shook her head

"Cause a lot of bad things have happened over the years, I've lost friends and family and felt alienated and alone a lot of times. Mostly it was because of the green skin. Eventually though, like five seconds after I realized I could change into animals, I came to love my powers. Who wouldn't like to change into an animal whenever they wanted? It never stopped being cool and never seemed mundane to me at all. I love being a superhero Rae, I love helping people and especially like to make them laugh. I figure that if I make them laugh they'll be happy and if they're happy then there no reason for me to be sad so it makes me happy. Think of it as a way of dealing with mine and everyone elses everyday problems, especially with being a kid with green skin."

Raven smiled, there really was a lot more to Beastboy then met the eye. Even with the fact that his parents had died he didn't want it to bring him down for the rest of his life. And he didn't tell anyone about it because he didn't want to make them feel sorry for him because he didn't see why they should. He had cool powers, he loved being a superhero and he just wanted others to feel happy. What did have to feel ashamed about? As long as his friends were happy, he was happy and thats all he ever asked for.

"You really are a good friend Beastboy." said Raven

"Yeah, I try." Beastboy replied

There was a long silence for the two as they just pretty much enjoyed the moment looking out into the bay. Then Beastboy just had to ruin it all.

"So do you have little memories you'd like to share?" Beastboy asked

"That depends," Raven answered "what do you want to know?"

Red X was 12 whole Blocks away from the Museum. He had to have lost those Mutants by now. All he had to do was make his way back to his motorcycle on 3rd street and head on back home. Shouldn't have been a problem at all. at least thats what he thought before a strange buzzing sound came from behind him and he recieved a foot to his very face. Red X skitted across the rooftop and landed in a heap a fw feet away he turned to see his attacker and found that same insectoid-like dinosaur looking back.

"Oh just great," Red X sighed "listen bug boy can you just let me get back home before you try to take the belt?"

"Sorry," The mutant told him "the General has a schedule. Each day we spend here more of our recruits die. We need to leave soon and were taking the belt with us."

"Over my dead body Cockroach boy." Red X said pulling out his X blades

"This can be arranged. And for the record its just Cockroach."

Cockroach charged at Red X and the theif defended himself. He tried to slice the mutant in two with his blades but the creature just kept dodging.

"Slippery little gnat."

"Cockroach!"

"Whatever!"

Red X kept swiping at him until he finally landed a hit. Square across the mutant's belly. However the mutant just stopped and looked at it, unflinching and not appearing to be in any pain.

"You can't squash me that easily." Cockroach mocked back

Red X became enraged and continued his charge against Cockroach. Every swipe was ducked and dodged away from and Cockroach didn't even lift a finger. Then in the middle of another attack Cockroach grabbed Red X by his arms with two of his hands, then using his free pair of hands he delivered a punch straight to X's face. It sent him flying across the rooftop.

"Had enough?" Cockroach asked

Red X stood himself up

"Not just yet."

X fired a barrage of X shurikens at Cockroach. But the bug just buzzed out of their way and straight upto Red X's face. He then delivered a kick to the theif's gut sending him flying across the roof once more.

"Your not winning this match are you?" Cockroach mocking asked

Red X stood himself up once more and rubbed his chin.

"I'm just warming up."

Red X threw down a gas bomb in front of them. The preceeding battle was fought out in zero visibility. No one could see the other. But when it was over Cockroach went flying backwards straight out of the cloud into mid air. Red X jumped out after him proclaiming himself the apparent victor.

"Uppercuts hurt huh?" Red X asked his defeated opponent. Then X noticed the mutant was laughing. "What's so funny?"

Cockroach continued to chuckle and then held out something in his hand...Red X's belt.

"Thank you so much Red X. Now I must be going." Cockroach pulled out a small grenade as he continued to fly in place. He unhooked the pin and dropped the grenade. "Das Verdanya"

Red X had only seconds to move as the grenade fell perilousy close to his feet. With a quick dodge away from the explosive, X ducked his head down. The grenade went off and Red X was still in one piece. However Cockroach was gone.

"Crap!" X yelled "This just ruins my perfect day doesn't it? Now what am I going to do?" Red X paced as he began to ask himself questions "I can't go to the police and say 'Hi I'd like to report a stolen belt that by the way I stole from one of the Titans. Can you help me find it and put me in a nice warm jail cell?' Just great, without my belt I'm just some guy in a suit. I have to get it back, before that lunatic and his dino buddies get out of the country with it." The problem was Red X didn't know who to turn to. He didn't have any supervillian friends ever since his little betrayal to the Brotherhood of Evil. He couldn't go to the police or they'd just lock him up. The only people left who could help him were the Titans and they hated him. Of course there was the fact that this General Karvisko was gonna use his belt to blow up something. The Titans couldn't let that happen. "Besides" Red X thought "Robin owes me one."

Beastboy thought over a possible question he could ask. There wasn't really much he could ask about Raven. She had already revealed her biggest secret, evil prophecy, Demon father, her powers were governed by emotions. He already knew all that. The only things he could think were recent and some of those were a little personal to her. He didn't really want to intrude. Raven wasn't reading his mind at the moment but she knew one thing...he was stalling.

"Beastboy I know you have a question in your head already?" Raven told him

"You may not like this question." Beastboy told her

"Just say it." She flat out told him

"I can't say it."

"Fine," Raven said rather frustrated "then just think of it."

The next few words poured into Raven's mind

'Why did you hate Terra?'

Raven was taken a back by the question

"I thought you said you were over her." She said rather monotone

"I am," Beastboy explained "I just need to know what made you hate her so much."

Raven sighed

"I'll admit something," Raven began "I always did feel like a loner, but she made feel like a bigger one. The minute she walked in the door everyone gathered around her while I hid off in the shadows. It was somewhat my fault really, but in truth no one, not even Starfire showed up to do anything with me. Terra was more popular then I ever could be, everyone seemed to like her more." Raven fixed her gaze on Beastboy "Especially you."

Beastboy cringed at that

"I didn't realize." Beastboy began "I was in that crushing stage. I did have a crush on her and I thought she liked me back. So I spent more time with her then anyone else. Even Cyborg. I don't know why but I did. I'm sorry for that."

"You were in love with her what could you do but hang around her all the time." Raven told him "I just wish someone loved me like that. The closest I ever got to was a guy in a book who turned out to be a dragon. At least Terra and you had an actual relationship, no matter how short it lasted."

"It was never meant to be in the first place I guess." Beastboy said "Why else would she so easily turn on me. Terra was just really confused and shes happier now so I really shouldn't dwell on it all." Beastboy put his head down "So was that why you hated Terra?"

"No theres more." Raven explained "When I was fighting her in the research facility she-" Raven stopped suddenly.

"Show me." Beastboy asked

"You may not like what you see." Raven explained

"The Terra I knew is dead now Raven, she doesn't exist anymore."

"It may change your view about her." Raven told him

"I already have changed my view." Beastboy retorted

Raven sighed

"You can be so stubborn sometimes." said Raven turning to Beastboy again "I didn't really give anybody, not even Robin the full details about what happened. All I told him was that lost control in there and Terra was the cause. I didn't tell him how she did it. I told him it was for security reasons. The real reason, was because I didn't want him to coddle me like some child over it all."

"It can't be as bad as a prophecy for ending the world." said Beastboy

"No, but this reminded me of why I hated myself all those years back in Azarath. Watch and listen."

A cool breeze once again entered both of their minds. A fog entered Beastboy's eyes and two voices he could reconize

"Terra"

"Raven"

"Traitor"

"Witch"

Beastboy soon found the fog parted by a scene of a half destroyed research lab and both Terra and Raven fighting each other in the mud.

"You know Raven," Terra began "I never liked you."

Raven stood herself up, covered in mud

"I never even wanted to know you." Raven answered back "Everyone else believed you, but I always knew you were a liar."

Terra just smiled

"Oh, really?" She mocked "Is that why you let me live in your house, and steal all your secrets and-"

Raven cut her off

"SHUT UP!"

Their battle conitnued with Raven getting more and more angry at Terra, she seemed to have the upper hand until Terra had knocked her to the ground.

"Better be careful, Raven." Terra said as she made a mock mud portrait of Raven that was horribly disfigured "Beast Boy told me all about your little temper tantrums."

"Anger is pointless." Raven told her "My emotions are in control."

"Naagh, naagh, naagh," Terra mocked "anger is pointless. And you're calling me a liar?"

Raven attacked once and just like before Terra trapped her once again, this time half way up to her neck in dirt.

"What sucks the most Raven?" Terra asked "That I tricked you? That I nearly destroyed your little team? That everyone liked me better then you?"

"Stop it!" Raven hissed

Terra bent down to her eye level

"Or was it that deep down you really thought I was your friend?"

Raven suddenly grew another a pair of eyes and became eight feet tall with tentacle forms spewing from everywhere.

"I trusted you!" Raven shouted in a voice that didn't seem her own "We trusted you! We gave you everything and you treated us like dirt!"

Raven threw everything her powers could grab at Terra but nothing worked she somehow managed to avoided Raven's wrath and beat her by forcing her into the ground. Raven began to sink into the mud. And Terra couldn't seem any less happy about it.

"Whose in control now?" Terra asked. But before she went under Terra said one more thing to Raven "Face it Raven, no one in their right mind would want to be friends with you."

Raven dissapeared below the surface and then suddenly phased through the ground. Weak and exhausted she fell through the earth. Knocking rock after rock until she finally rested on the ground in a heap. The memory was fading away but Beastboy heard one last sound from Raven before she slipped into unconciousness.

"No one likes me." she said "No one makes friends with Demons. No one likes me. No one."

The memory trailed off and Beastboy found himself back on the roof. Raven was off to the side apparently try to hold in her tears.

"When I was little in Azarath everyone knew who my father was." Raven sniffed "Everyone knew what I was. There, I wasn't just creepy, I was a freak. I was ridiculed by everyone. I always felt so alone. When I came here I thought I had friends. When Terra showed up everyone seemed to abandon me. When Terra told me she had never liked me and that I could never have real friends it brought all those memories back. I might have been happy to have just died in that cave." Raven turned back to Beastboy "Then you guys found me there. Starfire was happy to see me alive and Cyborg felt relived to see I was unharmed. You even cracked a smile when you saw me. Robin was happy to see us all in one piece. I realized you guys really were my friends, nothing could change that. I hate Terra for making me think that way. For making me think that I had no friends. And thats why Beastboy I can't completely forgive Terra."

"I never knew that was how you felt." Beastboy said sadly "How come you didn't kill her back there."

"I was barely holding on to my control." Raven explained "Had I truly snapped Terra may have died then and there. The only reason she didn't was because if I did kill her, no matter how much I hate her, I could never live with myself after that."

Beastboy decided to try and help her feel better by telling her about Terra herself

"I always thought I knew everything about Terra," Beastboy began "I guess there was a lot of things I never knew. Even if they were a little obvious I just ignored them. Its like she said when she refused to come back to the Titans. The girl I knew was just a memory, she probably never even existed." Beastboy sighed "I'm sorry about what happened in there Raven. I never knew Terra could say such things to people. I don't know a lot of things huh?"

Raven nodded her head somewhat

"Well I do know this," Beastboy told her, turning her around to face him "Your one of my best friends and trust me I'd never say anything like that to you. I'd never ever hurt you like that."

"Never?" Raven asked

"Never," Beastboy said holding out his pinky "I promise."

Raven sniffed a little more still trying to hold back tears

"Thanks Beastboy." She said

She didn't know why she did what she did next but she didn't really care. Raven hugged Beastboy. Probably for the first time since the Malchior Incident. Beastboy was shocked at first but he eventually returned the hug.

"I think thats enough memory sharing for now." Raven said after they released each other

"Yeah," Beastboy chuckled "anymore and this might become some stupid soap opera show."

"How true." Raven smiled getting up "We better get to bed. Goodnight."

Raven exited the rooftop and Beastboy called back a cheerful 'Goodnight' to her as well. He then laid back and looked up at the sky.

"Making people feel happy." Beastboy said smiling to himself "I really am good at that."

Robin was barely awake as he continued typing on his small computer screen. It was getting tiresome that he had not found a single lead on any Xinothium power cores. How hard could this one item be to find? He knew he didn't have much time, Karvisko and his men could have already located and aquired one by now. He couldn't let that happen, not on his watch. But he wasn't going to find it tonight. He was going to pack it in when something came on the screen

'You Got Mail'

Robin was surprised, he never got E-mail. He clicked on the small envelope and watched as a small video screen popped up in front of him. Cockroach was looking back at him.

"I've heard of Early Birds, but its almost midnight." Cockroach laughed "How long are you going to stay awake?"

"Cockroach." Robin sneered "What are doing? How'd you get this frequency?"

"I just thought I'd send you this live feed before you computer went dark."

"What are you talking about?" Robin asked

Cockroach exited the camera view and showed him where he was, it appeared to be a large computer room.

"I'm in Jump City's computer mainframe." Cockroach explained "Everything from electricity to communication is governed from here. Rather impressive huh?"

"And you're there why?" Robin asked

"Because all humans are rather subborn sad little creatures." Cockroach explained "Take away their toys and they start taking it out on each other. Eventually they devolve into the senseless animals that they truly are."

"That doesn't answer my question." Robin told him

Cockroach pfted at Robin

"Karvisko is almost ready to leave. However he has a few more things to take care of and some minor problems with these American Soldiers that have joined the battle." Cockroach held up a small device in his hand and walked over to the computer mainframe "To solve this were giving America a special little gift for all its citizens across the country. Just a little something from Mother Mutentica to her." Cockroach plugged the small device into the mainframe computer and the screen began to fade out "Enjoy the show."

Cockroach's face dissapeared...seconds later so did the computer screen.

* * *

Uh Oh. Looks like they got a BUG in their system. Bad Joke I know. Some of that dialogue was lifted from the last episode of Smallville, I don't really care. Anyway find out what the full effect of the virus Cockroach stuck in the mainframe are when we return. Oh yes and please review if your reading. I accept all reviews you know, anoymous or not. 


	14. Blackout

I'm sorry it took so long to update. I was being really lazy when I shouldn't have. I just hope you like this chapter and that there are still people reading. We're approaching the climax so enjoy it while it lasts.

Disclaimer: Titans and Red X don't belong to me. The Raptors and Mutants do. Thats it I'm copying and pastin g from now on. (Told you I was gonna be doing this)

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Chapter 14: Blackout

Titans Tower, along with the rest of the city was no longer a glow. Everything was pitch black, covered in shadows. It was only after the emergency power lights came on that things seemed to return to normal.

"I have a bad feeling..." Robin's train of thought was cut off when he heard a loud crashing sound behind him.

"SHUT HIM OFF!" Someone shouted

"He's not a stereo, theres no plug to pull!"

Flying through the door way and landing on the otherside of the room was Rack. The Raptor had lost his helmet in the fall and it was now lying on the floor beside him. He quickly got up off the floor and snatched the helmet back-up.

"What going on?" Robin demanded

"Cyborg went ballistic." Rack explained

Sure enough racing through the door came Cyborg, bursting at the seams with electricity. Reige around his neck, holding on for dear life.

"Shut him off!" Reige shouted "Shut him off before he kills us all!"

"Cyborg what's happening?" Robin asked

Cyborg didn't answer he was too busy running around like a mad man with Reige stuck on his back. He stumpled over the couch then in a fit of rage threw it of the way and into the opposing wall. He then began to slam down on the floor, creating crack in Tower's structure.

"Shut him off! Shut him off!" Reige continued to scream as continued in his foolish attempt to hold onto Cyborg's back. Finally Rack took action.

"Sorry Cy." Rack apologized, then he swung his tail straight at the cyber teen's face and knocked him to the ground on his back. Cyborg was out like a light and unfortunately for Reige, he was under him.

"Get him off me!" Reige cried

"Would you quit your whinning." Rack ordered as he lifted the unconcious Titan off his brother.

"Can you now tell me what is going on?" Robin asked impatiently

"Your friend burst out of his room and started pounding everything in sight." Reige explained "We tried to stop him but...well he's a really strong super robot thing."

"We don't really know what got into him." Rack added

Robin thought for awhile and reme,bered a similar situation like this. One where Cyborg began eating anything and everything for no feasible reason. It was back when he had got a virus. Obviously it had happened again and Robin had a good idea of how.

"Cockroach found a way into a com system." Robin explained "He told me he was at the city's mainframe, then he stuck something into the system and everything just blacked out."

"You think it was a virus?" Rack asked

"The last time this happened to Cyborg he had a virus. If he was on his charge table the system might of gotten corrupted and infected him."

"Great," Riege said holding up his arms in dismay "were down a superteen and we have a virus in the tower's system."

"It was the city mainframe Reige," Rack explained "the virus has probably infected every computer that it has access to."

"I would bet it would have to pretty powerful to make it past Cyborg's security against something like this from happening." said Robin

"We better get the Captain." Rack told them.

Several minutes later Recon was in the main room along with the other Titans looking at the now crashed computer screen.

"We've been had people." Recon explained "The virus Cockroach uploaded into the mainframe practically erased the virus protection protocols the moment it camme in contact with it. I've managed to reboot the system but I haven't stopped the virus."

"So," said Beastboy "we got it out of the computer."

"With a lot of luck." Recon added "Thanks to Cybernetic friends back-up protocols. However, Jump City is still in the dark as we can see."

The Titans saw what was once the vibrant and beloved city now bathed in shadow of darkness. There wasn't a single light on at all. Jump City looked dead.

"We need to move," Robin told the others "with every light in the city off who knows what Karvisko could do."

"It isn't just Jump City its the entire continent." Recon explained gaining the attention of everyone in the room "If this virus is as fast as I think it is, with the way it penetrated all of Jump City so quickly, its already working its way throughout the country. In 24 hours the entire United States will be without power and the next day it will start working its way down to Mexico and up to Canada. All of North America will be completely blacked out."

"Dude, so not cool." said Beastboy with his ear dropped down.

"What do we do?" Robin asked

"I say we give up now and become an Agarian society." Regie answered

Everyone looked at Reige with a rather annoyed face at his shallow suggestion. The tension was finally broken by Recon.

"I can stop the virus but not with the computer running on back-up mode and certainly not without a real good anti-virus program."

"How can you stop it?" Robin asked

"I need to get this computer to full operating capacity once again. That means recovering everything lost when the virus came in from scratch." Recon explained "Which would be easy, if it weren't for Cyborg's custom computer design. I don't know how these systems work, he does."

Cyborg was still out like a light, lying on couch motionless and still powered down.

"We need to get Cyborg back online then." Robin deduced

"Pretty much." Recon nodded

Rack and Roger lifted the offline Cyborg and began carrying him back to his room.

"Don't worry, we'll set him up in the recharger," Said Rack "We can get him back to full power from there."

"Boy is he heavy." Grunted Roger "Why did he have to be made out of mostly Robot parts?"

"Just make sure he get rebooted up to full power," Recon ordered "and fast we don't have much time."

"Thats it," Reige complained "we're all farmers." Reige now recieved even more angry looks this time.

"We need to head out into the city." Robin told Recon "who knows what's going on in there."

An sudden explosion went off in the far distance of the city sending up a plume of smoke. This answered Robin's question.

"Looks like some one isn't too happy about the lighting problems." Beastboy half heartly chuckled

"Great, just our luck." Recon sighed, knowing that the problem had just gotten worse.

"Cockroach said that if he took away our toys we'd turn on each other." Robin thought "This is probably what he meant."

"I'll stay here and look after Cyborg." Recon told the Titans "The Turagut brothers will go with you as soon as they have him set up."

"What about me?" Came a familar voice from behind. It was Ryan holding his shotgun in one arm and his machine gun in the other "You can't possibly think of leaving me out of this."

"We don't need your help." Robin told him

"And I don't need your yours either." Ryan shot back "You take care of your fellow humans and I'll handle the larger problem."

"Why should I just let you plow through the city however you please?" Robin asked

"Because you can't really tell me what to do Bird Brain." Ryan turned for the door "Besides I know how to handle riot situations."

The door closed behind Ryan as Robin turned back to Recon

"What does he mean by riot?" Asked Starfire "We have a word for this on my planet, it means mindless destruction correct?"

"Thats a good sum up of it all." Robin answered "And now I have a lunatic out there in it."

"I'll send someone with him." Recon assured

"I need everyone for this and we're already down a man." Robin explained "I can't send them to babysit him while the city tears itself apart."

"Then I'll send soem soldiers with him." Recon told him

This wasn't satisfactory

"He shouldn't be out there at all." Robin answered

"I can't order him to stay behind while you go off and save the day." Recon returned "I'm sending every available man to help keep the city under control. Everything will be fine you have my word."

Robin was still angry, but he soon calmed when Starfire put her hand to his shoulder.

"We have no reason to doubt his word Robin, I am sure he will make sure that Ryan does not commit harm to anyone innocent."

"If he does then I won't be responsible for what happens." Robin retorted turning to the door "Come on Titans, we have work to do."

In the short time that the blackout had occured the vibrant city had gone to the dogs. Since the Blackout there had been several hit and run attack across the streets. Residents stayed indoors as the Mutants continued their attacks. Robin decided that the best course of action was to split the team up and cover a wider area. It was hard to keep a track on everything that was going on. Buildings will being set up in flames, cars were exploding, shots were ringing out from everywhere. It was pure chaos. Robin, Starfire and Rack were busy dealing with the explosion they had saw from their Tower's window. A truck filled with gasoline had just went off. It appeared to have been shot with a missile of some kind. Fire and US military support wer eon the scene as the two Titans and the Raptor began to lead people out in an orderly fashion.

"I don't get it," Rack said helped Starfire push over a car blocking the way (Not that she needed help mind you) "Why all these attacks? There's nothing to get from it, nothing to gain."

"Perhaps the Mutants have become desperate." Starfire suggested

"Or maybe they just want to lead us away from their main target." Robin said suddenly

Starfire finally pushed over the car and the stranded people began to flood out to safety.

"Do they really need all this just to lead us away from the Xinothium?" Racka asked waving people over to safe zone with his claws

"It doesn't matter, we have no leads on where they could find some." Robin sighed "I don't even know where to start looking."

A small X shuriken suddenly swung out of nowhere and stuck itself onto an nearby car. Robin turned in the direction of where it had came landed and pulled it out of the vehicle. After quickly examining it he turned to the direction it had fallen. He saw a black cape dissapear into the alleyway. Robin took off after it without saying a word.

"Robin!" Starfire shouted

"Where is he going?" Rack asked

The two followed Robin in pursuit.

Robin grappled up to a nearby building and climbed up to the roof. There he found who he was looking for.

"Red X." Robin sneered as he looked up the Thief and his dark cape, his skull mask with the red x in the forehead, the suit. All of which he, Robin, had made himself. Robin pulled out his bo-staff "What are you doing here?"

"This may surprise you kid," Red X muttered "but I need your help."

"Why should I help you?" Robin questioned

"You see anything missing from my costume?"

Robin looked over Red X again. Everything seemed to be there. Cape, mask, suit, gloves belt...wait there was no belt.

"Wheres your belt?" Robin asked

"Some Mutant General came by and ordered me to hand it to him." Red X answered "I refused and he sent his bug friend to grab it from me"

Robin stood there in shock. Karvisko had a Xinothium core now. This was bad, really bad.

"You just let him take it?" Robin shouted in anger

"I didn't have a choice." X told him "You know how the suit works. Without it I can't do squat! I can't get the belt back on my own, not without my gadgets and the suit's power source and most certainly not alone.

"So you need my help," Robin said putting the bo-staff away and crossing his arms "otherwise your out of a job."

"Exactly I need it back and you're going to help me."

Robin just perched an eyebrow

"And again why?" he asked

X grew arritated

"Because you and I know how unstable that stuff is and how big a disater it would be if it went off!" Red X shouted back

"And I'm just going to give it back to you why?" Robin asked

X sighed and rubbed his forehead

"I'll make you a deal." Red X answered "If I can help you find it I get to keep my belt."

"You can keep the belt if you can grab it faster then me." Robin stated "And a reminder, it isn't your belt."

"Fine, fair enough." Red X muttered

"Good," Robin said finally getting somewhere "now do you have any idea where they could be headed with it?" Robin asked

"All I know is that the General was talking about making a bomb with it." Red X told him

"Anywhere they could get the high explosives used to trigger the bomb?" Robin questioned

"I figure if they want to level a city they'll need a huge explosive like a nuke." X answered "Big enough bang and more then enough to incinerate everything for miles on end. It would probably leave nothing left. The only difference then it being a nuke is that nothing could stop the blast, its basically nuclear overkill."

"I don't think Jump City has a nuke." Robin shot back

"No," X admited "but someone else who came here does."

"The US military?" Robin asked

X nodded and began to explain

"Theres an naval base not too far outside the city limits. And according to my few remaining crinimal contacts that like me it has a recently rerouted nuclear powered submarine docked there for the night."

"A nuclear core of a submarine is too big for what I think Karvisko wants to do." Robin told him

"The sub's nuclear core is just one thing thats nuclear about it. The sub also has a small nuclear warhead on board."

"Do your contacts know everything?" Robin asked

"They keep me updated." X continued "Now, the warhead is rather small, but if it were to trip the xinothium core...well...I don't really want to think about that."

"I'll head over to the sub at the dock and stop Karvisko's men." Robin said pounding his fist "So you won't have to think about it at all."

"I'll meet you there." X told him preparing to leave

"Why should I trust that you'll be there?" Robin asked before the thief took off.

Red X paused for a second and thought of what he could say to convince Robin he would be there. Then he just decided he was wasting time.

"You don't." And Red X jumped down from the building and took off.

Moments later Starfire and Rack finally caught up to Robin. Rack was flown up to the rooftop by Starfire and the two landed on the ground safely. Rack dropped down and walked over to Robin.

"Geez, you run fast." Rack told him "We had to go through six city blocks before we found you."

"Tell us friend," Starfire began "what were you chasing?"

"I'll explain on the way," He said motioning his hand "we have a sub to find."

"A what?" Rack asked confused

Robin looked over to the two

"It has something Karvisko wants."

Roger was behind the store counter trying to scrounge up anything that was left. The store had gotten a car plown right through it. Lucky it was closed at the time.While reige and Snip were off at another sight, Roger had gone with Beastboy to take care of the situation. Beastboy was anxiously tapping his foot at the entrance.

"How many Ding Dongs can you possibly eat?" Beastboy asked

"I have a rather large appetite my friend." Roger explained

"And here I thought Raptors only ate meat." Beastboy grumbled

"I need my sugar too you know." Roger retorted before he stuffed another Twinkie in his mouth. It left Beastboy to wonder if he really did have messy table manners. Well at least he knew he was a cleaner eater then either Cyborg or Roger, so at least that was comforting. Raven returned to the shop after scoutin ahead.

"I sensed nothing in the immediate area." She told them "The Mutants have probably moved on."

"Sweet, more snack time." Roger continued his sugar crazed raid on the store Hie preoccupation gave Beastboy a chance to talk to Raven about other things

"So where's Ryan anyway?" Beastboy asked

Raven

"I'm not risking scanning for his mind. But chances are he's on the hunt."

"When isn't he?" Beastboy asked not expecting an answer before changing the subject. "Anything else?"

"Not really." Raven responded

Beastboy felt something differently

"You seem a little, nervous about something."

Raven sighed and shook her head

"Its that stupid Colonel," Beastboy knew who she was talking about "I know its just my imagination but...I feel like he's out there somewhere. Waiting to pounce on me."

"Please," Beastboy said trying to lighten to mood "he's probably found someone else to torment by now. With any luck we won't see him for the rest of all this."

"I'd like to believe that." Raven said shaking "But for now I'm going to be cautious."

Beastboy was worried that Raven was getting to worried about this whole situation. He knew she was right about being cautious in general, but he needed to get her mind off this Aleksander thing

"Well if it makes you feel better I'll keep an extra eye out for him." He exclaimed "You saw how I suckered punched him twice. Just because he's strong doesn't mean he knows the moves."

This appeared to ease Raven's mind.

"You hit him around pretty hard." Raven considered "I suppose the two of us can handle him if we run into him again."

"Please, we'll mop the floor with his wings." Beastboy boasted

Raven seemed to smile a little at this

"Thanks for that Beastboy." Raven said "I guess I needed the reassurance."

"Your welcome." Beastboy told her

"I'll keep watch on the roof." She told him "I'll call you if I need you."

Raven levitated up to the roof and Beastboy turned to go back in the store. He met the face of rather smug looking Roger Turagut holding a Jelly Log in his claw.

"What?" Beastboy asked

"You like her don't you?" Roger asked

"Well yeah she's my friend." Beastboy told him

"I mean the like like type of like boy." Roger explained as he began munching on his Jelly Log.

"Dude, don't go there." Beastboy said frantically "Shes just a really good friend, really good. I like her as a person. She's smart, she's funny, she's really nice when you get past the sarcasm, she's a real good friend-"

"She's hot." Roger added nonchalantly

"Yeah that too." Beastboy suddenly realized what he said and clapped his mouth shut, he then tried to explain himself "I mean uh, well yeah of course. I mean she's a girl, most girls are attractive you know."

"Oh come on," Roger pleaded still munching on his Jelly Roll "admit you like-like her."

Beastboy struggled with the question, if he answered Roger then someone may finally know his secret and it could ruin everything he had established with Raven so far. But if he didn't he could say something horrible that he could never really live with or stand to say. There was only one way out.

"Fine," Beastboy admited quietly "I sorta always kinda had a little crush on her that I've always been hiding. Even now."

It was surprising how long he had kept from admiting that to anyone. He had a small crush on Raven that steadily growing ever since this mind bridge came into existance. The only way he made sure he didn't let Raven know was that Raven never invaded his privacy, ever. So he could still think about her when she wasn't around. It wa shard but it was worth it to imagine him and Raven having some kind of formal relationship. He wasn't sure how long he could hold this in though. Especially now that he had told Roger his secret. But Roger wasn't doing anything at this point. He wasn't laughing or chuckling or anything. He was just standing there with a satisfied smile.

"I won't tell a soul." Roger said as he stuffed the rest of his snack inside his mouth and swallowed. Needless to say Beastboy was relived

"Thanks." Beastboy sighed "You don't know how embarrassed she would be if she knew i had a crush on her. It would totally ruin our relationship."

"You never know," Roger told him as he reached for a cupcake on the display nearby "she might actually like you back."

Beastboy shook his head

"Nah, she doesn't see me that way." Beastboy explained "I'm just the funny guy who is also her best friend. Not romantic material you know."

"Your giving yourself a little bit of a hard time there." Roger told him "I mean what is exactly wrong with you?"

"Well I'm green for one." Beastboy said pointing to his face

"I'm a walking talking lizard and I have a girlfriend." Roger said with a large smile.

"Yeah another Raptor," Beastboy shot back "how many green girls are there anyway?"

Roger seemed on the verge of giggiling.

"I have a human girlfriend for your information sir." Roger said confidently with a smile across his face.

Beastboy stood there wide eyed.

"Oh come on." He said crossing his arms "You don't need to lie about yopur love life to get me to admit my feelings to a certain girl."

Roger stoically pulled a small piece of paper from his shirt and handed it to Beastboy, it was photo of Roger and a human girl smiling for the camera that was sticking so close to their faces. The girl was brown haired girl, who was very pretty. He hair was in a ponytail and she had her arm wrapped tightly around Roger's neck.

"Her name is Melody." Roger said taking the picture back

"Dude, you have a cross-species relationship?" Beastboy asked with surprise

"There are a few Raptors who feel attracted to humans." Roger explained "Like certain men feel attracted to fat people. Melody like me for my down to earth country sensibilities. That and shes a real good kisser."

"But Raptors don't have lips," Beastboy observed "how can you tell?"

"Its mostly tongue to tell you the truth." Roger explained

Even with this information it wasn't enough to fully convince Beastboy.

"Raven isn't attracted to guys like me." Beastboy explained looking down at the ground "She probably goes for moody guys with eyeliner and super dark poetic talents."

"Well have you ever asked her about which guys she goes for?" Roger asked

"Not really. "Beastboy admited

"Well how are you sure?" Roger asked once again

Beastboy was getting tired of this subject.

"Listen I'm just sure okay, can you just drop it."

"Fine," Roger said clearing his throat "I'm sorry."

Suddenly Raven came fluttering back in.

"I just got a call from Recon." She began "First, Cyborg's still not up. Second, The Turagut brothers are suppose to be heading off with Starfire and Robin to some military base."

"I better get moving then, wheres the rally point?" Roger asked packing up his stuff

"Its a few miles down the road." Raven said pointing "Third corner to the left."

"Thanks." Roger commented as he headed for the exit

"What about us?" Beastboy asked Raven

Raven looked at him sadly

"Robin wants us to find Ryan. He hasn't checked in and his escort says they lost him."

"Just like the LT." Roger said as he continued on his way "He's always going off on his crazy adventures."

"We better find him fast." said Beastboy "He could be in trouble."

"Thats highly doubtful." Raven responded

"Well where do we start looking?" Beastboy asked

Raven thought it over a moment. she couldn't risk sensing for him again and she didn't know where his last known position was. After several minutes of quiet thinking she heard a distant chainsaw over the usual gun fire that arupted here and there.

"Beastboy did you hear that?" Raven asked

"I think so, sounded like a chainsaw." It hit Beastboy like a ton of brick "I just may be able to hone in on his rampaging then. As long as his chainsaw is going." another distinct chainsaw noise was heard in Beastboy's ears "This way!" He pointed ahead and marched off with Raven following.

Inside a submarine at the docks several crew members lay on the deck unconcious. A few more in the weapon's storage were tied up as a small team of Mutant soldiers carefully removed a warhead from one of the ship's ballistic missiles. Careful they placed it inside a foam laced suitcase and began to walk out of the sub and out the hatch door. It was all too easy. Cockroach smiled as his men returned from the weapons storage room with what they had came for. All the pieces were in place. Soon they would be out of this horrible country and back in Mutentica, safe in the knowledge that by the time they got there the United States would be in permanent blackout and they would all begin to turn on each other as their precious technology refused to work. He was so glad that all had worked according to plan. However when he exited the sub he soon found not all of that was true. The Titan Robin, his other team mate and four raptors were there to greet him.

"Step out of the sub with your hands above your head." Robin ordered

"All four of them bug boy." Rack added

The Mutants piled out of the sub, relinquished their weapons and were lined up before the Raptors and the the two Titans.

"Nice try but it looks like your little plan won't be taking off anytime soon." Robin informed him

"Don't get too smug yet." Cockroach warned "I have a back up plan."

Suddenly a small helicopter rose out of the mix of hanger behind them and barreled towards them. It was a small minature gunship. The Raptors fired at the helicopter but it was no good. Robin knew they only had one option as he saw the pilot flick the chopper's triggers.

"Scatter!" He screamed

He grabbed Starfire by the waist and sent himself overboard with her. The Turaguts jumped ship as the gunship fired on them. The ship landed rather closely nearby Cockroach and he climbed in the apssengers seat. His men retrieved their weapons and looked to him for their orders.

"Kill them." He ordered as he closed the passenger door and took off into the night.

The soldier stood behind and looked over the side of the sub. Suddenly a glowing green orb smacked one of them in the chest and sent him flying off the sub. The same happened to next three mutants and soon they were all in the water from being hit with the green orbs shot from Starfire's hands. She pulled Robin and the others onto the dock. The Turaguts shook th water off them while Robin stared at the dissapearing chopper. It was already out of sight.

"Things just got more serious." Robin said to himself "We need to tell Captain Recon about this."

Suddenly a jeep roared out of a nearby hanger and barreled straight towards them. Riding in it were three other mutants. One of them manning a machine gun. Robin pulled out his explosive disks and was ready to fire when a sudden blur of black swung down and knocked the gunner out of the vehicle. He then knocked out the pasenger with his foot and took control of the wheel of the jeep from behind forcing it into the water. The blur jumped out at the last second as the jeep made a splash. The blur landed in front of Robin and revealed itself to be none other then Red X

"Looks like you can trust me." He smirked

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I won't bother you today with a long winded speech in my Authors note. If you have any question just leave them in the review and I will happily answer them. Then again if its even just one word like "Cool" or "Awesome" I'll be just as happy to recieve that. So please ReadxReview, for the children 


	15. Count Backwards From 10

Okay first disclaimer: I only own the mutants and raptors, everyone else isn't mine

This is the chapter where Raven and Beastboy finally get all the facts behind Ryan's crazy mind, oh and our dear friends Recon and Cyborg try and stop that virus. Enjoy.

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Chapter 15: Count backwards from 10

"Remind me again why you're helping this guy?" Rack asked Robin as he peered over at Red X

Robin was somewhat busy at the moment trying to reach the Tower.

"I made him a deal." Robin explained frustrated "He wants me to help him get back the Xinothium core belt he had. If I grab it first I get to keep it. Then I take him to jail."

"Well considering bug-dino just took off with a warhead capable of leveling the city that job just got harder didn't it?' Rack argued "Besides this guy is a wanted crinimal! How can we trust him?"

"Um guys, I'm right here and I can hear you talking about me." Red X said looking over his shoulder "To tell you the truth I don't really care if you don't trust me to hold up my end of the deal. I just expect you to hold up yours. Are we clear on that?"

Robin stopped trying to reach the tower and turned to Red X

"Listen, our deal is still on on." He assured "But if niether of us finds Karvisko soon you can kiss your crinimal career goodbye. So start helping."

"Well have you considered how exactly Karvisko is going to escape the city since its blocked off from the outside world by the National Guard and the US military?" Red X asked "For someone who made it to the rank of General he isn't very smart when it comes to an exit strategy."

Starfire floated over from the Submarine after helping Reige and Roger tie up the surrendered Mutants.

"He could not use the helicopter he has stolen." Starfire commented "It would never leave the city limits before it runs out of fuel. I may not know much about this world but I know they will need something bigger inorder to escape."

"The airport then." Robin thought

Snipe shook his head

"That was the first place we qurantined when we came in." He told them

"Can't be that blimp they had," Rack added "since its basically a pile of twisted metal now."

Robin rubbed his chin trying to think. Everything was cut off for the Mutants, how exactly were they going to get out of this city.

"Is there any place that isn't blocked off for the Mutants?" Robin asked

"Well now that you mention it," Rack began to think "the bay is pretty much unguarded. We kinda figured they had already dropped in with their planes and junk so there wasn't going to be an amphibious assualt. But we have the carrier out at sea watching everymove on the waves. They can't possibly get through from there."

"Yes," Snipe added "but who know what things they dropped into the city. They smuggled a whole blimp in here didn't they?"

"We should find out where that chopper was headed." Robin said in a serious tone "I'll try the tower again."

Cyborg's red eye began to flicker on. At first he only saw some tinge of static. Then the words, "System Reboot Complete" appeared before his face. His optical eye opened and he found himself in his room. He soon focused in on the shape of someone sitting nearby. It was Recon.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." He said

The robotic hero rubbed his forehead

"What happened?" He asked "The last thing I remeber was watching myself go ballistic all over the tower and then it all went black."

"It wasn't just you," Recon told him "it was the whole city, including the tower. Something got in the system."

"A virus?" Cyborg said in amazement "But I have the best virus protection program for my systems, including me. How did it get in?"

"I did a diagnostic," Recon asnwered "the virus was designed to basically kill any program it ran into. However when you got it the virus became confused. Because aren't completely made out of wires and metal it didn't know how to infect you. That's when it basically just made you malfunction when it couldn't delete all of your programing."

"Okay, but what about my tower?" Cyborg asked once more

"The virus works like EMP pulse, it doesn't care how much virus protection you have. It just turns it off and deletes it leaving everything vulnerable. It works in a timeframe of miliseconds and if we don't stop it soon its going to keep going until it infects all of North America."

"Dang, how bad is it now?" Cyborg asked with a concerned look

"I called HQ, the emergency broadcast signal has been implemented and is now running what news it can. So far as I know its penetrated all the way to Salt Lake City."

"How do we stop it?" Cyborg asked

"I think we can implement an Anti-Virus program but I need you to help me."

"Got it." Cy said nodding before looking around and realizing that if he really was knocked out that bad his friends would be here. "So where are the guys?"

"Doing what they can out in Jump City. I'm getting reports from all over town about random attacks from Mutant soldiers."

Suddenly Cyborg's arm communicator went off. Cyborg flipped it on and saw Robin's face.

"Cy your up." Robin said happily

"Yep, back in the game."

Starfire pried the communicator out of Robin hands and began souting into it.

"Friend it is good to see that you are alive! When the virys struck you we all feared the worst! Thank X'Hal that you are online again! When we are victorious I shall create you a wonderous feast to celebrate your good health."

Cyborg suddenly felt very sick.

"No thanks Star I'm good."

"Are you sure?" Starfire questioned "It will be most delicious and..."

Robin took the communicator back from Starfire

"Listen," Robin began "Cockroach was at the military base a few minutes outside of town. He grabbed a Nuclear warhead and took off in a chopper."

"So that's what their going to use to trip the Xinothium core when they get it." Cyborg said astonished. Robin took on an even more serious look

"Actually they already have that as well. They took it off of Red X."

Cyborg raised an eyebrow

"You know this...how?" He asked

Robin's look turned to embarassment

"Red X kinda sorta asked for my help in getting it back."

"He's wioth you now isn't he?" Cyborg asked

"Well I'm not happy about it okay." Robin rubbed his forehead "Can you just follow these coordinates of the chopper's flightpath and tell me where Cockroach is headed?"

"No problem," Cyborg Acknowledged "I'll send them over as soon as possible."

Beastboy had been tracking the sounds of Ryan's chainsaw as well as the smell of Orange Juice throughout the city as a Coyote. Raven followed close behind in the air as he continued to sniff along the ground. The the direction they were heading in was filled with dead Mutant bodies and bullet holes in everything they came across. The stop sign at one intersection had its letters blasted out of it and the glass of a few Traffic and street lights were strewn across the ground.

"He certainly isn't a hard Dinosaur to find is he?" Raven thought aloud to herself

The green coyote in front of her apparently heard her because he was silently surpessing a yip. Not very well however. The coyote quickly turned back to Beastboy and let out a little laugh

"Yeah just follow the trail of mindless destruction and Orange Juice containers." He blurted out"Good one Rae."

"Thanks," Raven said in a monotone voice "do you think we can speed this up a little?"

"Don't worry the scent is getting stronger." Beastboy told her as he looked ahead "Its pointing me...there!" Beastboy pointed off down the street and saw a familar sight. Muramaki High School, the last place he saw...her.

"Oh man, I thought I'd never show up here again." He said looking down at the ground

Raven noticed that he wasn't in the chipper mood he was previously in just seconds ago. Then it hit her.

"This is the place where you saw Terra. Isn't it?" She asked

"Yeah. I never expected that I'd show up again after all those weeks." Beastboy peered over at it "Looks kinda abandoned at the moment."

"They probably evacuated when the Mutants showed up." Raven looked over at Beastboy and saw his somewhat dissapointed face "Are you okay?"

Beastboy shook his head out of his stupor

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine."

"Your not dissapointed that you won't see her are you?" She asked

"No," Beastboy explained "its just the thought of going back in there is kinda emotional for me. Considering it is the place where my "EX" hangs out."

Raven seemed to be relived at this statement. She didn't really know why. Perhaps it was just relief that Beastboy really was over Terra. But why should she care. She knocked these thoughts out of her mind.

"Well maybe he isn't in there." Raven told Beastboy

The sound of a reving chainsaw shot up from the school grounds.

"And you think I jinx these sorta things." Beastboy smiled smugly at her

"Just go." Raven said pushing him towards the school.

When they got inside the school they noticed how desolate and dirty it was. Several ammunition boxes were strewn throughout the halls. As were several more dead Mutant soldiers.

"Man, what a dump." Beastboy said as he looked around

"Ryan was definetly here." Raven observed

"Ya think?" Beastboy asked "Were the dead bodies lying around your first clue?"

Beastboy went over and tapped at a locker a few times. He heard something slip inside. Surprised he tapped at it again. This time the locker door slowly began to open and within seconds it flew open. Something had fallen out and landed with a thud. Beastboy jumped back in horror as Raven backed away quickly from the fallen form. They looked down upon as it came to a rest on the ground. It was a Mutant soldier, stone dead. He had been stuffed into the locker after he had received a bullet wound to the chest. Caused by a shotgun no doubt.

"If this is Ryan's sense of humour I'm so not laughing." Beastboy said backing away from the body in disgust.

"Come on," Raven said tugging at his arm "lets keep moving."

They walked through the halls of the school silently keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of Ryan. His Chainsaw had stopped reving for the moment so they had no idea where he was. They saw more bodies lying everywhere in the hall ways. The scene was extremely morbid. Even for Raven who felt somewhat quesy from it all. Then they came upon something strange. There was a blood smeer across the floor leading into a nearby room. The door had the words "Detention" printed across the glass. They opened it up to find five Mutants sitting in desks. Another one was at the front of the classroom at the teacher's desk. His head lying flat on upon it clutching a large piece of chalk in his hand. The board behind him read "I am an Asshole." over and over again. Raven checked the five Mutants in the student's desks. The all had bullet wounds to their heads. These ones were dead. The one at the teacher's desk however only had his gas mask ripped off and his forehead had an obvious bruise on it. His feet were tied to the chair and he had a pair of handcuffs attaching him to the chair's arm by one hand. The other hand taped up so he couldn't let go of the chalk. The Mutant still appeared to be breathing.

"This one's alive." Raven called over to Beastboy. Needless to say he was amazed

"He kills like who knows how many soldiers in this place and he leaves this one alive?" Beastboy said as Raven walked back over to him. "I don't get it."

"Ryan isn't exactly your average psycho remember." Raven reminded him

"Still surprised he actually left someone alive." said Beastboy looking at Raven "He told me he loved killing guilty people remember."

"Which means he probably left this place just minutes after we arrived." Raven told him "There's nobody left here."

A sudden sound of a gunshot came from above their heads. They recognized it as Ryan's shotgun

"The roof." The two of them said in unison.

Raven opened up a window in the room. Beastboy flew out as a small bird while Raven followed him through the air. They both landed on top of the roof. It was covered in air vents and the like. They looked to see if Ryan was nearby.

"Yo! "Beastboy called "Commando dude! Its us!"

There was no answer

"Ryan," Raven called "are you here?"

No answer

"Come on dude this isn't funny." Beastboy shouted

"Shut up I'm trying to think!" Shouted back a familiar face.

Raven and Beastboy followed to where the sound had originated and found Ryan sitting on the edge of the roof looking down at the ground. His weapons were all back in his holster except for EARL the chainsaw in his right hand.

"Bird-Brain send you?" He asked not looking at them

"You abandoned your escort and refused to call in." Raven explained "Recon and Robin wanted us to find you."

"Well as you can see I'm here." Ryan said still looking away and holding up his hands "Now can you go."

"I was thinking we could talk." Raven told him

Ryan finally turned to them

"About what precisely?"

"Well for example what exactly happened here?" Raven asked

Ryan didn't answer for a few seconds. Instead he jumped down from his perched position on the roof and sat down on the ground, leaning against the edge.

"This was a ammunitions dump for the Mutants awhile ago." He told them "You no doubt found some of the occupants?"

"Including that little Detention club and a guy you stuffed in a locker." Beastboy answered

Ryan smiled

"Oh yes them." Ryan chuckled "After I killed most of them I decided to have a little fun. I stuffed that guy in a locker when I got bored. The detention class was made up of some random fellas I found on the ground."

"And the one you left alive?" Raven asked, know he knew the answer

"He was cowering in the bath stalls. Didn't even have a loaded weapon. Must of been too afraid to remember." Ryan said "After I set him up in the detention room with that taped Chalk stuck in his hand I made him write 'I'm and Asshole' several times on the board at gun point. Then I knocked him out with the butt of the gun and tied him up. He'll wake up in the morning when the army does its sweep of the area and be picked up."

"And he isn't dead why?" Raven asked

"There was no need to kill him." Ryan explained "He already suffered enough. Now excuse me." Ryan seemed to be getting up to leave

"Wait." Raven told him

"What?" He whinned "I answered your stupid question."

"I have another question." Raven told him

Ryan seemed to know what it was

"Forget it."

"Ryan," Beastboy butted in "were trying to help."

"Help?" Ryan said surprised suddenly standing up he began to yell at them "Help me how? By asking me what my life was like before all this junk? By making me relive all those disgusting memories? By making me feel guilty about it all? Well don't you think I already do? You don't think I sometimes feel like a horrible person? Well I may do bad things, but in the end I get a result! If it weren't for me thousands if not millions of innocent people would be suffering now!"

"We're not here to judge you Ryan." Raven explained

"Then why are you here?" He asked seeming to calm down "Why do you care about what I"ve done? In a few hours this entire thing will be over and I'll be out of here with the rest of my Raptorian friends. So whats it to you?"

"Cause you're not the only one who goes through this." Beastboy told him stepping "We have a lot more in common then you think."

"Like what?" Ryan asked

"I'm an orphan." Beastboy said aloud "Just like you. My parents died when I was just a child, right in front of my eyes. They died and I couldn't save them, there was nothing I could have done to save them. The same thing that happened to you when you were a kid."

Raven seemed somewhat astonished at how Beastboy had just admited his history to Ryan so plainly. He left out the major details but it was still something. He knew he needed to establish a connection with Ryan and Raven could see it in the way Ryan was no longer tensing up as he was before that Beastboy had succeeded. She couldn't help but feel proud of him. As for Ryan he just let out a sigh.

"The fact is you probably didn't have some sick son of a bitch laughing at you as you looked over your dead parents who he had just killed." Ryan said "Staring at you with those black souless eyes and that disgusting satisfied smile of his. That laugh has always haunted me, the months after, when I was in that SICO prison camp for Raptors being tortured for days on end, even after I finally hunted that bastard down and killed him for what he had done to my parents. In the end it didn't bring my parents back. And after the war ended Raptoria didn't seem like home to me anymore. So I left. I got myself a raft and rowed myself all the way to the the United States."

"What about Los Angeles?" Raven asked "How'd you get there?"

"I walked. Simple as that." Ryan told them

"All the way to LA?" Beastboy said astonished

"Well I found enough spare change on the ground to get me there on a bus after awhile. I had to dress up in a trenchcoat so I wouldn't draw suspicision. Raptors can do that with their giant snouts you know."

"So what happened in LA?" Raven asked

Ryan seemed to step back a bit

":I don't want to go there." He told them. Of course just as quickly as he said that he lifted EARL up to his face "What?...Oh come on man!" Ryan shouted at EARL "Why?...Please don't make me tell...but...oh fine you stupid hallucination, fine!" Ryan put down the chainsaw

"So what did EARL say?" Beastboy asked trying to sound as serious as possible with the fact that he had just said the Chainsaw's name.

"Fine I'll tell you." Ryan said ignoring Beastboy's question about EARL: "It isn't prety though."

"I've seen more then enough morbid things then I can stomach tonight." Raven told him "I don't mind one more at this point."

Ryan sighed once more

"When I arrived in LA I decided to set up in an abandoned fun house. Wasn't too funny though. Kinda sad. I had a little bussiness office up behind all the stupid clowns and crap. Had a mini fridge with OJ in it too. My first ever drink of the stuff. Kinda yucky though. Anyway I was in there in the day and out at night. Met some colourful characters, pissed off a few people, really bad people. Before I knew it, I had the Mafia and LA gangs all gunning for me. They burned down the fun house I was in and by then I just couldn't take it anymore. I snapped. If humans were going to make my life a living hell then I'd make them join me in it. I spent the rest of the following night killing every last crinimal I could find. When it was all over I had practically eliminated LA's entire crinimal population."

"Without a single innocent dead?" Beastboy said astonished

"Couldn't have done it without that LAPD rap list I stole from their archives." Ryan said with pride

"Were you put in custody?" Raven asked

"I was captured shortly afterwards, broke out just as quickly and found my way back to Raptoria."

"So all those dead people we saw in your head..." Raven stared

"All crinimals," Ryan finished "the only reason I'm not being prosecuted for it all is because I'm not a full fledged American citizen. Also because when they held the trial, with me in absentee, the jury kinda ruled not guilty for reasons of insanity. No freaking duh."

So Beastboy and Raven had done it, they succeeded in getting Ryan to spill his history to them, now Raven could finally get to the heart of the problem.

"That was the night when you decided on this crusade of your isn't it?" She asked

"You could call it that I guess." Ryan said shrugging "The never-ending battle to wipe the world clean of scum and villiany. I figured it would be what my parents would want. That's why I became a soldier. To honour their memory by making sure what happened to me doesn't happen to another child ever again. I will go to whatever lengths to destroy the corrupt and the greedy and the tyrannical. And since war brings that out in the worst kinds of people I think I picked a good choice of career to do just that don't you think?"

"So we were right." Raven said "You do love war."

"Of course I love it!" Ryan shouted "I've lived with it for who knows how long! I've used all the skills, all the lessons, all the expieriences of my life to ready me for war. I am the ultimate soldier, I live for the sting of battle and smell of victory. War is how I survive, I use it to keep going. And with war I shall destroy the worst of human nature. What better way is there to live out one's existance then that?"

"Thats exactly the problem." Raven told him

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked somewhat confused

Beastboy stepped in once again

"You love war Ryan." Beastboy told him "What normal rational person loves war? Your reason is because it brings out the worst in people and guess what it does the same to you."

"Oh come on." Ryan said

"You played with dead bodies and made a guy write that he's an asshole at gun point." Beastboy told him

Ryan seemed to understand Beastboy's sentiment

"I won't deny that I did things that are not considered kosher." He said "But my methods are how I operate. Its who I am. You can't expect me to change just because you don't like them."

"But you will change Ryan." Raven told him "For the worse. The more you act like this the worse your mind deterioates. Your lucky that you gained back some common sense before you killed the defenceless Mutant. Next time you probably won't."

"Trust me," Beastboy added "you don't want anymore of that happening."

"It will kill you Ryan," Raven told him in a serious tone "not physhically but mentally. The next time you snap it will be for good."

Ryan didn't want to believe them, but they had been inside his mind. They had seen things more clearly then he ever could. Even he didn't want to tread in those dark corners of his brain. Besides they had nothing to gain from lying. He only had one choice...He had to believe them.

"So what should I do?" Ryan asked

"Stop. Just for now." Raven suggested "Take a break, a long break. Recon said you were pushing yourself with mission after mission. Take a rest Ryan. You've more then earned it."

"Everyday I take a rest another child could suffer like I did!" Ryan shouted in disbelief "Your asking for me to let that happen?"

"You can't save the world by yourself Ryan." Raven explained trying to make him understand "And war can't last forever"

"Don't give me that hippie garbage." Ryan shouted back "You can't stop something that horrible. As long as there is greed, corruption, hate and evil in this world there will be war. Besides what makes you think I can't save the world all by myself?"

"I know you can't." Raven elaborated

"How do you know?" Ryan pressured

"Because I used to think I could."

"Huh?" Ryan said in disbelief at Raven words

Raven seemed to grow more mellow as she closed her eyes and explained

"I used to think I didn't need help, that I didn't need friends, that I didn't need to belong. I thought I only needed to rely on myself, that I could defy certain things by myself. I didn't need anyone." Raven then opened her eyes looked over at Beastboy who was hanging on every word "Then someone helped me realise that I don't need to keep things like my past bottled up inside and that there were people I could rely on to help me. I always thought I was alone in my battles, but I wasn't." Beastboy seemed to blush at this "And I didn't need to be."

Beastboy made a small smile at Raven words trying desperately to hide the blush that made his skin turn from its usual green to red. Ryan, in the meantime, seemed to take Raven's words at heart, but he wasn't fully convinced yet

"You have people in your life Goth girl," Ryan told Raven "I don't. The only two peple I ever cared about are dead, so who is there left to turn to? I have to rely on myself and myself alone. Otherwise who will."

Beastboy soon saw that it was his turn. He walked over to Ryan who now had his back turned. Beastboy turned him around by the shoulder, he wasn't at the same height as Ryan but he had to act like he was on the same level with him.

"You told me others join the army for a sense of honor and duty." Beatboy reminded him "If thats true then you don't need to worry. There are plenty of people willing to do the same things you do without going bonkers. If none of them wanted this job then why are they still here?" Ryan didn't answer

"Cause they care about the same things you do." Said Beastboy "They want to make the world a better place, everyone like us does. You just need to lay off for just one time, have fun or as some people would say..." Beastboy looked back at Raven "...break the routine a little."

Raven smiled softly at him. A second after it appeared Beastboy sensed a telepathic message coming from Raven to him

"_When did you get so mature?_" She asked

"_Heh, don't worry,_" He thought back to her "_I'm still me. I'll prove it, why did the turkey cross the road?_"

"_Same old Beastboy. Thank Azar for that._" Raven replied as she shook her head smiling

"_And don't expect me to go away soon._"

Ryan seemed to understand it all at last. He walked past Beastboy and Raven and made his way to the roof exit.

"I guess I do need a vacation after all this. Perhaps just a rest at the beach." Ryan said "I do kinda deserve it."

Beastboy and Raven had apparently broken through to Ryan.

"Good," Raven said "but first we have a city to save."

"Damn straight Goth Girl." Ryan said he pulled out his machine gun

At the Tower Cyborg had finally gotten Titans Tower back online. The alarm system and lights now worked and the computer was back at full functioning capacity. Recon expected it to take longer to hunt down and destroy the Virus but instead it wasn't so hard.

"There," Cyborg said elated "I've managed to shut down the spread of the virus. It's main hub here in Jump City has now been isolated. With that severed the virus should simply die out anywhere outside the hub in at least 12 hours."

"And the virus itself?" Recon asked

"Just a simple little hack into the city's mainframe and I can delete it from there. Could take awhile." Five seconds later after typing several keys Cyborg was overjoyed "Booyah! Whose your cybernetic daddy!"

"Virus dead?" Recon asked

"Virus not just dead, it just turned on itself." Cyborg smiled "Fixed the programing so it attacks its own programing. It commited cyberspace suicide. Now tell me who rocks?"

"How long till the system is back online?" Recon asked

"Should be back by dawn. In the meantime lets hope Robin found where the Helicopter was headed. I could only give him a small estimate where it could have landed.

Robin studied the remains of the trashed minature chopper before him. Cockroach had blown it up to get the Titans off his trail. The chopper had been blown just a few miles shy of a crashed mutant paratrooper plane. It must of been one of the planes that was destined to crash because of its low fuel. Robin looked inside with the otrhers trying to find out why Cockroach had gone here.

"I don't get it." Rack said as he peered into the plane's broken chassis "What could he have possible gotten from here.

The inside of the plane was big, very big. It looked like it wasn't meant for paratroops. It looked like it could something much larger. Like a vehicle of some kind. There were hard leather and steel straps that had been broken by something. Possibly by Cockroach, he didn't know what he wanted to grab here but it looked like he got it. The leather and steel straps were cut only recently.

"How are we to find the Cockroach now?" Starfire asked

"We don't," Robin told him "we find Karvisko and we find Cockroach. Along with the Xinothium and the Warhead."

"So we find them how?" Reige asked "I mean its not like we can just track a Xinothium power core and a warhead down, especially in a war torn city."

Robin suddenly remembered something, how could he have forgotten something like that. He turned to Red X

"X, do you still have that Xinothium scanner you stole?"

X seemed annoyed

"Are you going to gripe me about stealing that now?"

"No," Robin told him "We can use it to track where Karvisko and Cockroach are. They must have gotten the two pieces of the bomb together by now."

Red X slapped his forehead for not realising that sooner and pulled the scanner out of his pocket. He pointed it at the city behind them and soon got a beeping sound.

"Looks like its pointing towards the center of the city." Red X told them "Most likely where that blimp crashed near the pizza place."

Robin picked up his communicator

"Titans, we know where the bomb is follow us to these coordinates. We're ending this."

Inside the Pizza Parlour, the mutant technicians placed te final piece into their suitcase. It was done the bomb was armed and ready. Now all that mattered was getting out of here and Cockroach would make sure of that. Karvisko looked over his handy work. Everything had fallen into place. The mood was ruined however when Aleksander came running in the door.

"General," He shouted "Cockroach says hes spotted several Raptorian soldiers headed this way!"

Karvisko looked somewhat unhindered by this

"Let them come." He said "We have what we wanted. Whats a few more dead Raptors on our rapsheet. The revolution begins today."

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Climatic battle coming up guys, stayed tuned it will show up soon. Please review 


	16. ExitStrategy

The grand finale, final big battle, the climax of basically everything we've seen up to this point. I'd say more like how I don't own the Titans and I only own the original character of this story but I think its better that we get to the chapter. Read and Review.

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Chapter 16: Exit-Strategy

"Does anyone else feel that sense of Deja Vu yet?" Beastboy asked

The others had to agree

"Less then two days ago this was where it all started." Robin acknowledged

"And hopefully where it ends." Raven added

The Titans were riding on top of the troop transport vehicle that made up a small convoy of Raptorian soldiers headed for the Pizza Parlour and city square. Where the Titans had first faced the Mutants a day or so before. It was close to dawn break and now they were returning to it for the first time since the blimp crash not knowing what to expect. Recon, who was riding inside the troop transport contacted Robin on his communicator

"We have three minutes till we arrive, you guys ready?" He asked

"We don't even know what we're up against." Cyborg told him

"And I've been awake almost all night." Beastboy added rubbing his eyes

"None of us have Beastboy." Recon told him "I wish I could of given you more intel on the situation but this is may be our last chance. Karvisko has what he came for, he could pull out at any minute."

"I'm still concerned about...you know." Beastboy pointed behind him to the crouching form of Red X.

"The Red X is a crinimal but he has proven trustworthy so far." Starfire explained

Red X turned to them briefly

"Hey, I'm right here you know. I can hear everything you say." X said rather annoyed

"Sorry, we're still getting used to you working with us." Robin apologized "The least I can do is thank you for the info about the Nuclear sub."

"I just want my belt back." X told him "Nothing else."

Robin just shook his head, still same old Red X

"Speaking of which," Recon began over the communicator "how exactly did Karvisko know the sub was in dock at this point in time?"

"He could of just rerouted it like he did the planes." Robin suggested

Recon shook his head

"You can't reroute military vessels," Recon told him "not without official orders. And I don't care if the crinimal underground found out someone would have had to elak the information directly to Karvisko."

"What are you saying?" Cyborg asked "That someone in the US navy may have..."

"Sold you out?" Recon finished "I can't say. But I've already voiced these concern to US army officers in charge here. They're working on it. Our main concern is just Karvisko and his bomb."

"No problem," Beastboy said flexing his muscles (Stringy muscles) "A freaked out Mutant with an explosive suitcase is nothing compared to the stuff we usually go through."

The troop transport stopped and the Titans and Red X jumped off. The Raptors inside and in the transports beside them also exited and began to take cover around the wreckage of the square. Aiming their guns square at the pizza place. Ryan was positioned close to the Titans position in the center of the the perimeter the Raptors had set up as was Recon. What was left of the destroyed blimp and anything else that escaped its crash was occupied by one Raptor soldier or more. Strangely however they were pointing at a pizza place, guns drawn and yet nothing was happening at all. It was far too quiet.

"Anyone else getting that creeped out feeling?" Reige asked

"For once I must agree with you Reige," Snipe replied "My infared scop attachment isn't seeing a thing. Yet I can sense they are out there."

"He's right, I can sense them as well." Raven said clutching her head "They're not afraid, in fact they seem...prepared."

Beastboy over to comfort her, seeing as how hard she was clutching both sides of her head. She eventually stopped and lifted up her hood, so no one could see how un easy she now felt.

"For what?" Recon asked

"For the dawn of a new Revolution!" Came a loud voice from a high. Everyone turned to the top of the Pizza Parlour's balcony and saw Karvisko standing there with two of his men by his side. "I enjoyed my stay here in America, however I must return to Mutentica. I have bussiness there with a certain briefcase"

The realization hit Recon like a ton of bricks

"Oh you got to be friggin kiddin' me." Recon said bowing his head.

"What?" Robin asked

Recon raised his head and looked straight at Karvisko

"Nusto here is gonna set the bomb off in his own country!"

"Perceptive Raptorian," Karvisko congratulated "you no doubt know what the target is too?"

"I can nary it down to Mutentica's capital city." Recon retorted

"The bomb will go off right at President Horturcough's front door step in the main square." Horturcough admited "Along with his death and the other cabinet fools who follow him I will bring about a new Soviet Era for Mutentica."

"You would destroy your own country's capital just for political gain!" Starfire expressed angirly as her eyes began to glow

"That's pretty much what he just said." Rack confirmed

"But millions of innocents would die!" Starfire responded

"Every cause has its collateral damage," Karvisko told her "I wouldn't expect a meer child like you to know that."

Starfire was now truly angered at him. Her hands glowed birght green and her eyes began to singe

"You are a horrible disgusting Chlorbag Veldermelp!" She shouted

"I can agree with that." Ryan added as he pulled out his Machine Gun

Recon took a step forward towards the General

"Forget it Karvisko." Recon told him "Your surrounded by Raptoria's finest not to mention US troops are swarming throughout the area. You'll never get out of here alive. Give yourself up now and maybe the Mutentican government will go easy on you."

Karvisko seemed insulted

"I will not spend the rest of my life in a military prison at the hands of those Capitalists and I have not come this far just surrender to you." He brought his walkie talkie up to his face "The revolution begins today!" He began to shout into the radio "Cockroach implement exit strategy!"

A sudden sound of chopper blades began to approach.

"One of yours?" Robin asked Recon, hoping to get a yes

"Doesn't sound like it."

Indeed, from behind the large building in the center of the city came a large Hind Helicopter straight out of the Soviet Era. It had two chopper blades, a large frame for its chassis, two pods ofg missles on either side and a machine gun on its nose. There was also a loudspeaker attached to the cockpit of the aircraft.

"Like my new ride Titans?" The familar voice of Cockroach asked over the loudspeaker "Its a got a bullet with each of your names on it!"

Chopper's gun opened up on their position. The Titans and raptors there scattered before they got hit. Red X skidded to Robin's side. They noticed that Karvisko had retreated back into the building and the Raptors wrre now opening fire on a large number of mutants that had popped up on every building rooftop in the vacinity.

"We'll need cover fire if we're going to get in there and stop Karvisko." Robin told X

"And get my belt." X reminded him

"Can you forget about the belt!" Robin yelled at him "People's lives are at stake here!"

"Yeah," Yelled Rack as he ducked out of the path of a whizzing bullet "Ours at the moment."

"I'll give you guys cover fire while you surround the building." Snipe called over as he lined un his nose-gun

"We'll split up," Recon suggested. "It'll make us all less of a target. Everyone else stays here and keeps them busy. Turaguts go with Cyborg to the left. Ryan you take Beastboy and Raven on the right side. Star, Robin, X, we're going up the middle. Lets move!"

"Titans Go!" cried Robin.

With that the Titans and their Raptors allies split up to their prospected areas to surround the area. Cockroach tried to shoot down Recon and Robin as the ran up with Starfire and Red X to the front door. But he had to pull off his attack when Stafire slung a Starbolt at him. He barely missed it. Cockroach knew he couldn't let them destroy this Helicopter so he pulled off his attack and went around to the other side of the square.

Cyborg had entered one of the office buildings to the left of his street and was now in the main lobby area with the Turaguts. The reception desk was in front of them and potted plants decorated the room. they noticed the stairs and elevators off the sides of the room and some door behind the desk. Probably the security offices.

"Okay guys, do we have a plan?" Cyborg asked

The Turaguts didn't answer right away.

"Not getting shot?" Reige questioned his brothers

They all nodded in approval. Cyborg wasn't amused

"Focus," Cyborg told them "can we just figure out how we're gonna help Robin take down that Helicopter?"

"We need to get higher obviously." Rack answered "We'll take the stairs to the top of the roof and provide cover fire for the men down below and Robin when he reaches the top of the building the Pizza Parlour is located close to."

"I thought that was just a big TV thingy." Roger said confused. The TV at the top of the tower behind the Pizza place was all he really noticed.

"Why can't we take the elevator?" Reige asked

A short walk over to them answered Reige's question. The elevator's cords were snapped and carridges were now crushed pieces of metal upon the ground floor.

"Looks like we'll take the stairs." Snipe said looking down at the destroyed elevator carridges. He then turned to his brother Reige "Unless of course you'd like shimmy up the shaft Reige."

Reige just looked at his sarcastic brother and stuck out his tongue. He then backed away from the elevator.

"Stairs it is." He said as he approached the door to the stairs.

Suddenly the doors to the back rooms opened and out flooded a small squad of Mutants. Cyborg armed his sonic cannon.

"Go I'll catch up." He told the Turaguts, knowing he could handle them by himself.

"Just cover your backside robo-dude." Reige warned him

"Yeah," Roger complied "Those million dollar wounds sting like hell."

"Trust me he knows." Rack added as they headed up the stairs

Cyborg looked bback at his attackers once the Turaguts were gone

"Alright ya mutant freaks, show that you got what it takes to stand up to the sonic canon."

The Mutants suddenly parted at these words creating a small path for a larger mutant that Cyborg reconized

"Hello comrade Cyborg." Sergey said cheerfully with a sinister grin "How have you been?"

"Oh not you again." Cyborg said shaking his head in disbelief, still with his sonic cannon armed "I don't really have the time for this."

"Make time," Sergey told him "I wasn't finished destroying you last time we met."

"Destroying me?" Cyborg said with a smile as he lowered his sonic cannon an inch "I was ready to kick your butt all over that stadium."

"I pushed you through a damn wall!" Sergey shouted "If it wasn't for orange skinned bitch getting in my way I'd..."

"Oh thats right!" Cyborg said with an even bigger smile "You gotten beaten by a girl. Embarassing isn't it?"

Sergey's sinister smile had all but deterioated. Now it was replaced with an angry scowl of pure loathing

"I was just going to kill you," Sergey said cracking his neck somewhat as he continued to frown "But now I'm going to do something worse then that. I'm going to anhilate you completely. When I'm done there won't be spec of the Teen Titans' Cyborg left. And what's worse I'm going to make you beg for me to end it!"

"Over my metal ass you will." Cyborg answered back raising his sonic cannon again

"Very well then..." Sergey unbuttoned his heavy trenchcoat and let the ensemble drop completely off of him. He revealed him self to be now in nothing but a wife-beater and a pair of pants. His helmet still hung from his head in the precarious fashion that it always did, because it of course still didn't fit him. On his back was some kind of scabbard or holster for a weapon of some kind. Th sash went around his front. Now Sergey's Tentacles were free to move around as they pleased without the inhinderance of that coat. "...Let's go."

Cyborg fired his Sonic cannon full blast at Sergey and his group It knocked the entire squad off its feet and across the room. When the blue blast ahd settled Sergey was still standing with his arms (All six of them) surrounding his face and body. he eventually untangled them and reshowed his face. Sergey's snister smile had returned.

"What a waste of a good shot."

With that Sergey slung his tentacle across the room and hit Cyborg straight in the chest.

Beastboy, Ryan and Raven had entered a small pharmacy. While the shooting continued outside the Titans and the lieutenant took cover behind the shelves near the door.

"How it look on the street?" asked Beastboy

Ryan stuck his head up and quickly pulled it back down.

"Some Mutants on the opposing rooftops and there are some coming out into the street." Ryan told him "Looks like the Captain and your friends made it to the pizza place though."

"So what do we do?" Asked Raven

"Wether you believe me or not," Ryan said loading his pistol "I'm not crazy enough to go out there and get myself shot by a dozen or so Mutants with their sights on me and that Chopper doesn't help the odds either."

"So how do we get to the pizza place and help Robin?" Beastboy asked

"Get to the roof and sneak in through there." Ryan said standing up

"How exactly are you going to get up the highest point on this street if you can't fly?" Raven asked

"Do you two always ask so many questions?" Ryan retorted looking right back at her "I'll handle that myself ,you just worry about surviving long enough to make it there."

The three stood up and headed to the back of the clinic. there they found a small sign that said "Blood Drive" with an arrow pointing into the back.

"This must of been from a few days ago." Raven said as she observed the sign "Jump City hostpital was asking people to give blood at their nearest clinic or pharmacy. I don't think they've moved the proceeds yet."

"I gave some of my blood." Beastboy said proudly "They gave me a free Doughnut and a cookie."

"Was that the only reason you came?" Raven said looking at him suspiciously

"No." Beastboy said aloud while secretly adding in his mind, "_They also had Stickers._"

Raven rolled her eyes

"We better get to the top of this place." Raven said ushering the others forward "Shouldn't take long, its only five stories high."

Ryan stayed in one spot as the other two began to walk towards the stairs. He sniffed at the air and growled lightly.

"Dude," Beastboy said queitly "whats wrong?"

Ryan continued to sniff

"Someone's in here." He said

Beastboy looked onced again at the blood drive sign and suddenly got a horrible feeling.

"Oh no."

Raven turned around to see what was holding the other two up when she heard a rustling above her. Within a second she placed a shield up and deflect something that fell onto her. It bounced off the shield and landed on tis feet,virtually unharmed.

Colonel aleksander stood before them, wings outstretched and fangs grinning.

"Have you given blood today?" He asked

Starfire was battling several mutants head on. Her Starbolts flinging in every direction. The green bolts of energy knocked the opposers five feet into the air and slamming straight into the walls. One Mutant tried to stick her with a bayonet, but she grabbed it out of his hand seconds before it hit her and bent the gun into a 'U' shape. She dropped it on the floor, still with a look of anger on her face and kicked the mutant straight across the room.

"Remind me never to get her angry." Recon asked Robin while looking at her from behind cover.

There were more Mutants inside this building then they had thought. They were still stuck inside the pizzaria and hadn't moved a step up to the top floor of the large building above next to them. Red X was holding his own, but he wasn't much except for his martial arts moves. He needed his belt back. Robin was also running out of disks and birdarangs. Recon knew they could only stay for so long, but it wasn't because they couldn't hold out. The Mutants fighting them weren't intending to win. They were stalling them. Trying to give Karvisko enough time to escape. Recon needed to move them all out of there fast. He threw a smoke grenade along the floor and waited for it to rise. When it was high enough he nodded at Robin. They both got up to rush to the stairs through the smoke.

"X, Star," Robin called "follow us!"

Starfire broke off her attack as did Red X and they followed Robin's voice to the stairway. they had to act quickly.

"I'll holding them off as long as I can and meet you up at the top," Recon told the three humans before him "Starfire fly Robin and Red X up."

"I have my own way thank you." Red X retorted as he pulled a grappling hook from out his pocket and fired it at the ceiling. He quickly swung up and a way through the stariway as the others looked on.

"Okay," Recon commented "just carry Robin then. Whatever happens, Karvisko can't leave with that bomb. Understand."

"Don't worry," Robin assured "he won't."

"Good luck kid." Recon said loading his weapon and lying up behind the door.

Robin was picked up by his arm pits and Starfire flew up towards the ceiling. When they arrived at the top floor of the stairs they saw Red X tapping his foot impatiently.

"Took you two long enough," He said "can we please just end this and get my belt back?"

"Focus on stopping the bomb first, then worry about your belt." Robin told him

"Sir yes sir." Red X saluted sarcastically.

Robin just narrowed his eyes at X and turned to the door leading to the roof. He kicked it in and the three of them burst onto the roof. It was somewhat barren at the moment, (Except for the anttena behind them) with only a skylight sepearting them from a small makeshift helipad where Cockroach's Hind was attempting to land. Starfire fired a green starbolt at the vehicle and barely missed it. The chopper back off from its attempted landing, and the supposed passenger for it turned to look at what had unteruppted his ride. It was Karvisko holding the briefcase in his hand. The Titans ran up in front of him, ready to attack.

"I was worried you wouldn't show up." He said smiling "I hope my men weren't too much trouble."

"We handle ourselves." Robin said before extending his hand "Now give us the Briefcase."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that Robin." Karvisko told him "I've come too far to give up now. Escpecially to a bunch of teenage superheroes."

"We shall not let you escape to cause harm to more people." Starfire angrily shouted

Karvisko shook his head

"If you want the bomb so bad," He placed the briefcase down on the ground and stood in front of it. "then you will have to go through me to get it."

"Not a problem for me." Red X said launching himself at the General with a kick.

Karvisko suddenly grabbed Red X by his foot and slung hims across the roof top. He skidded to a stop on his back a few meters a way. Robin and Starfire looked on astonished. Karvisko only grinned sinisterly.

"Whose next?"

Raven was getting tired of seeing this face. Aleksander was once again in front of her and looking just as menacing as ever. He seemed to have some red liquid split over his once clean and pristine officer's uniform. She soon realized what it was.

"You've been drinking haven't you?" Raven commented, not making a noticeable change in her facial expression.

Aleksander seemed to chuckle at this

"How observant of you." He said "Although I'm sure that this common human blood is nothing compared to yours my dear."

"Has anyone ever told you that you have major issues?" Ryan asked as he pulled out his Shotgun and pointed straight at the colonel.

"A lot of people said that once I started acting more like a bat then a dinosaur," Aleksander replied scratching his chin "I kinda tuned it out after awhile."

Beastboy stepped forward and pointed accusingly at the Mutant

"Enough with the vampire junk." He said sternly "Why are you after Raven anyway?"

Aleksander looked at him like he should have known the answer.

"Cause unlike so many ordinary people that have drunk dry this one." He said as he pointed at Raven "has a peculiar smell. One that I reconized almost immediately." He looked straight at Raven with his cold dark eyes "You aren't completely human are you dear?"

She suddenly knew the answer to Beastboy's question

"Your after me because I'm part Demon, is that it?" she asked back

Aleksander nodded

"I may have never smelled one before, but I recognize the blood of something slightly more then supernatural if I work hard at it." Aleksander explained "Your particular aroma seems to be of a dark lineage and your powers over the shadows only increased my belief in my suspicions that you weren't entirely human. I wasn't exactly sure what you were but it was far more enticing then the other girl on your team who I smelled. Now my suspicions are confirmed. Demon you say? I thought it might be that. The smell seemed so fire and brimstone like to my sensitive nose."

"All this time you were just targeting her because she's half-demon!" Beastboy shouted angirly

"Pretty much." Aleksander responded

Beastboy was just as angry as he was before at Aleksander, even with the finally outed explanation. More so because he sensed the answer had an affect on Raven as well. Once again, someone was targeting her for her heritage and because of what she was. Although Raven didn't show it, Beastboy could sense that she was angry at herself. It was her bloodline that attracted this pyschopath in the first place. She seemed to be thinking that her situation was somewhat her fault. Beastboy wouldn't allow her to think that.

"You may think Raven is just another exotic juice box Aleksander," Beastboy shouted back at the Mutant "but I know her better. She's done nothing but help people since I met her. Just because she has demon blood gives you no right to go around stalking her. Cause no matter what blood runs through her veins, she'll always be a better person then you'll ever be."

Some of the pressure had been lifted off Raven's mind. She wanted to say, or at least think over to him a thank you for knocking her out of her small depression. But there was no time.

"You simple minded American fool." Aleksander scoffed back as he waddeled forward "I don't really care if you think she's a good person or if I'm a hellspawn. All that matters to me is getting my fangs in her neck. And I'll crush anyone who gets in my way!"

Ryan joined Beastboy by his side

"Bring it on bloodsucker." Ryan mocked

Aleksander charged at them, screaming bloody murder. Beastboy came at him as a Ram and knocked him the wall behind him. The smoke cleared and Beastboy came flying back out of it as Colonel limped his way. He was caught in the face by a small pack of medicine tablets from out of no where. Ryan was throwing everything on the shelves straight at him.

"Hey, Dracula Wannabe!" Ryan called throwing a bottle of migraine relief pills "Are you pissed off yet?"

Aleksander rushed at Ryan but was lifted up into the air by dark energy and held there for several seconds. He slamed into the ceiling and then came crashing down hard on the floor. Raven stood behind the now collapsed Colonel a few feet away.

"Nice one," Ryan smiled "where can I get me those magic powers?"

"Are you a half-demon?" she asked with a perched eyebrow

Ryan scratched his head

"Uh no." He responded

"Then forget it." Raven told him

Ryan would have said something else but Aleksander had pounced on him and was trying to sink his fangs in the Raptor's face. Ryan was holding him back by keeping his mouth open with both hands and pushing him away.

"God your breath stinks!" He shouted before punching him in the jaw. The Colonel's mouth closed and Ryan kept it that way by clapsing his claws over Aleksander's snout. "Jump in any time guys!" He called to his back up

Thankfully Beastboy answered the call and lifted the Bat off with a tentacle from an octopus and threw him across the store. Aleksander landed in a display aisle and tipped it over. Medicine bottle and tablets spilled everywhere. Ryan got to his feet and found Beastboy standing nearby.

"Good arm you got there kid." Ryan complimented

"I've been practicing." Beastboy said proudly.

A crash came out of the display aisle as Aleksander screamed in anger at what was happening. He should have had his drink by now. Problem was that the Raptor and Green child were standing in his way. He needed to get rid of them. He didn't have time to think of a plan for Beastboy had just grabbed him by his wing and flung several feet in the air. He crashed in the cash register at the pharmacy's checkout table in the back. Money spilled out everywhere as the Colonel rose up to his feet, madder then ever. He had still not succesfully completed an attack, he saw Beastboy rushing him once again as a Tiger this time. Not wanting what had ahppened before to repeat itself he grabbed the pouncing green cat by his paws and flung right over the counter. Ryan rushed in soon after with his knife drawn. Aleksander jumped onto the counter and kicked the Raptor in the face. He skidded a few meters down the aisle towards Raven's feet and slowly got himself back up. Raven in the meantime focused her powers and launched every single bit of medication on the shelves to fling themselves at Aleksander. The pressure was too much and he fell over the counter himself with bruises all over him. He came back up in a vice grip as Beastboy had changed into a gorilla. Aleksander forced hi weight onto his back and toppled the ape over. He was released from the grasp and launched himself up over the counter. Ryan tried to stop him but was knocked to the side before he could do anything. Now Raven was alone.

"Nobody to save you now!" The colonel cried

Raven sent a wave of black energy at Aleksander and knocked him back. She levitated up intot he air and brought a shelf nearby down upon the Colonel. The mutant braced himself as the heavy amount of objects fell onto him. Raven landed a little ways off, looking the opposite direction that the colonel had been buried. Beastboy had managed to scramble his way up to the front of the counter.

"Nice one!" He called over, giving her the thumbs up.

Raven let her eyes fall upon him for a second, it looked as if the danger had passed. Aleksander appeared defeated. Now she could find time to think about something that she could say to Beastboy for his kind words before. However, when she sensed something was moving under the shelf she turned in time only to Aleksander burst from the debris. She had no time to do anything, desperately she tried to block the attack but it was already too late. ForBeastboy it all played out in slow motion. Aleksander raised his right wing and slashed across Raven's back, ripping her cloak and loetard, Raven winced from the pain as she turned around from the force of the impact. Aleksander sliced his other claw across her forehead, and Raven felt as the scratch went across her entire face. Then a sudden kick to the stomach made her fly backwards and into a wall. She lay there barely moving at all. Aleksander was laughing at everything, Ryan looking on in disbelief and Beastboy barely able to speak. Raven used the last amount of her strength to send out a beam of black magic at the approaching Mutant. The blast sent him backwards at a devastating speed. He knocked in the door at the back of the store where the blood drive sign pointed and his body kept on going. Finally a sound of crashing glass was heard from within the door. Raven had already slipped into unconsiousness. Beastboy was frantic. He rushed over to her yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Raven! No! Please god no!"

Ryan had to pry him away from her as she lay there unmoving.

"We need to get her to the roof. Now!" He demanded

Ryan scooped up Raven in his arms and ran towards the door to the roof they were suppose to be entering. Beastboy rushed after him as quickly as ever. Hoping to god that Raven was still alive.

Reige knocked over another stair barricade infront of them, the ordeal was getting tiresome. Throwing chair after chair, box after box over the side of the railing. All the while trying to hold off Mutants shooting down from up top and sliding down on rip cords and into the very middle of the stairs. They were almost at the top of the building, they had cut the rip cord when the were close and killed the final few mutants one their way. Reige removed the last piece of junk blocking their way and they all crowded near the door to the roof. Reige kicked it open and came out with their guns pointed straight. There was nobody left. They must of all come down to try and stop them. Snipe scanned the roof tops of the adjecent buildings

"Most of the aggressors on top have been delt with," he said "only ground units seem to remain."

"Thats good," Rack acknowledged "now all we need is our misisng teamate."

They looked around to see where he was, but the roof top was bare.

"Where's Cyborg?" Roger asked

"He couldn't have taken too long with those guys down there could he?" Reige added to the question

"Hope he didn't run into trouble." Rack said

Cyborg was knocked back into another cubicle as Sergey hit him once more. He was dragged out of it and slung aside by the Mutants tentacles. Cyborg got to his feet and charged, only to be tossed right over the mutant as he once again grabbed him. Cyborg had been fighting this guy throughout the entire building and he still hadn't let up. He needed to end this fight soon before Sergey finished him off. He was picked up by his legs and arms suddenly and held in a 'X' pattern. Sergey approaching him, cracking his knuckles.

"So," He asked raising his fist "had enough? You know this can stop. I can simply kill you now and get it all over with. You won't have to suffer anymore. Well?"

Cyborg couldn't spit in his face so he did the next best thing

"Kiss my ass!" He shouted back

Sergey swung his fist at Cyborg and the metallic teen was launched into the air by Sergey. He blasted through several ceiling and floors, each time more painful then the last, finally he felt the cool air of outside and saw the night sky above him. Cyborg suddenly fell down tot he ground and landed with a crash onto the roof. He tried to move but he just couldn't move his joints, that punch took a lot out of him. Then he saw friendly faces. The Turaguts standing over him.

"Dude what happened?" Riege asked

Cyborg couldn't respond he was too focused on the sound of something coming up from the hole he had just made in the roof.

"Look out!" He shouted pointing at the hole as four tentacle knocked the Raptorian brothers away. Sergey rose out of hole now and craddled Cyborg in the same position as before.

"I told you would beg for death Comrade." Sergey told him "And I meant it!"

Sergey began to pull at Cyborg's arm. The teenager grunted as he felt the bolts coming undone. Suddenly he lost the felling in his hands and cyborg landed flat on his back. Sergey had pulled Cyborg's arms out of their sockets.

"Looks like I have eight pairs of arms now comrade." Sergey chuckled

Cyborg raised his foot's soul to Sergey's head

"I'm sick of all your stupid arm jokes!"

Suddenly a small compartment opened up in Cyborg's foot and a seam of light pulsated out of it. The minature blast sent Sergey reeling backwards and into a ventalation system. Cyborg stood himself back up. His arms had dropped nearby. now he just had to get them back on. He noticed the Turagut brother were just now getting back up and limping over to him.

"Jesus that freakin hurt." Reige complained

"What happened back there?" Rack asked

"No time to explain," Cyborg told them "I need my arms back."

The Raptors looked at the limbless Titan and looked down at his feet to see where his arms were.

"Well there is something you don't see too often." Snipe comented

Roger lifted the right arm and placed it in the right socket. Cyborg then grabbed his left arm and plugged it back in his left socket.

"That's better." Cyborg said flexing his fingers

"Does that happen often?" Roger asked

"No, but it suck when it does." Cyborg replied

"Yeah, I guess it would." Roger said before asking "So what else falls off?"

Before Cyborg could answer he heard a sound come from behind him. It was Sergey who had managed to scramble to his feet. He was enraged. His tentalces reached back into the weapon holster on his back and he pulled out two RPG launchers. He aimed both straight at the Turaguts and Cyborg.

"Whatever happened to fighting fair?" Cyborg asked

"I never really liked that part of sportsmanship anyway." Sergey commented as he took aim

Cyborg aimed his canon at the ground beneath Sergey's feet and fired. The shockwave launched Sergey into the air long before he could fire his RPG's and he landed right at their feet in a heap.

"Booyah." Cyborg said solemnly as he looked down at the unconcious mutant

"That was killer." Said Roger picking up one of the fallen RPGs

"We better tie up those hands of his before he comes to." Rack said as he went over the fallen mutant.

Robin was thrown to the side as Karvisko continued his assualt on him and the others. Starfire's starbolts soon proved useless because Karvisko was simply beating them off. He whacked her with his club tail quite a few times. Once again he tried his attack on her, this time however she grabbed his tail. This did not deter him, he pulled his tail in the other direction flung Starfire to the ground. Red X tried to punch his face in several times, but the General avoided every swing and grabbed the theif's face throwing him to the side. Robin rushed at the general with his staff pulled, but Karvisko grabbed it as he began to swing it down on his head. When Robin tried to pull it out of the Mutant's grip, Karvisko took control and began to lift Robin up into the air by the staff and with a sudden dip swing him down to the ground hard. Robin refused to let go of his staff as he conitnued to hit the pavment time after time. Karvisko only stopped when Starfire slung a starbolt into the General's back. Karvisko turned around and lifted Robin into the air once more. He flung the battered teen at Starfire, who caught him in mid flight. The force of the impact however sent her and Robin down to the ground hard. Karvisko was enjoying every second of it, but he needed it to end. He reached for his walkie talkie.

"Cockroach," He spoke into it "bring the chopper around and help me finish these heroes off."

As soon as he shut the walkie talkie off Red X rushed him from behind and delivered a roundhouse kick to his face. Karvisko recovered in time to have X give him an uppercut. His head went straight up towards the sky and slowly came back down. Other then that he was unphased.

"Is that really the best you can do?" Karvisko asked before smacking X away with his tail. Suddenly something hit his back and a sudden chill appeared along his hide. He looked to see that his back was frozen. Robin was standing a few feet away in a battle stance.

"Even I know Red X could beat you if had his belt." Robin said "and he's still holding his own. I thought you'd be tougher."

Karvisko broke off ice from his back with his tail and turned to face Robin.

"Its pointless to continue this human," Karvisko told him "in a few moments Cockroach will arrive in the chopper and finish you off for good. Then it'll only be a few days before I am back in Mutentica. Walk away now and you might live."

"And let you take that bomb with you so you can kill innocent people. Not gonna happen."

Karvisko frowned at Robin

"I suppose you think I'm a monster for killing the people I'm suppose to be helping?" He asked

"Pretty much." Robin responded

"Simple minded fool," Karvisko scoffed "they are no more innocent then the people in power. Mutentica was once a powerful nation, feared and revered across the globe. Under our communist rule we crushed nations and armies everywhere we went. Nothing could stop us. But when your Raptorian friends defeated us the people choose that traitor Horturcough instead of the people who had led them for all those years! They choose him, a pandering capitalist democratic fool, over us!"

Karvisko rushed at Robin and pluged his fist down at him. Robin dove out of the way and Karvisko raised his fist again.

"All my life I dedicated to serving the people, to helping them acheive their goals. But now their minds are clouded by the new government. I shall make them see."

"By killing them?" Robin asked

"I do it for them," Karvisko explained "not for me. In the aftermath they will see that the government is truly corrupt, arogant and unfit to rule. They will remember what it was like to be a powerful nation again and who exactly brought them that power."

"If you gave they liked it so much how come they didn't give you the office?" Robin questioned

"They became blind, disalusioned, fooled into believing what Horturcough promised them. They seem happy, but its all a pathetic illusion. They do not know what is best for them!"

"And you do?" said Robin with a smirk, throwing the Mutant into rage as he slammed both fists down on the ground before him. Robin lept to safety a few feet away. "You seem to think that your own people are too stupid to actually live with freedom."

Karvisko was growing even more angry

"The communist party brought security, peace, recognition-"

"And from what I heard," Robin said with a snicker "it also brought a police state. Not to mention a nation who used more cash funding its take over the world schemes then helping its people."

"Do not make me out to be villian in this struggle!" Karvisko shouted back "I stand up for my people, for my nation. Under our rule we spread the revolution to the masses. We destroyed their oppresive governments and ridded their blindness to the evils of capitalism."

"Then how come they kicked you out?" Robin asked "Face it Karvisko, no one is buying your con. Your saying you did this for them, for the people. Trying to sell yourself off as some kind of hero. Well if the people want what you have to offer so much, then how come nobody wants it from you?"

"Because they don't know what they want!" Karvisko screamed before rushing at Robin, the hero lept out of the way but Karvisko connected his tail to Robin's body and sent him flying. Robin pulled himself off the cround clutching his rib, but he was still smiling.

"So they are stupid aren't they?" Robin said with a smirk "You have to force feed your ideals down their throats because they won't accept it any other way. For someone whose work benefits the people you don't seem to respect them so much. And if you don't respect them how can they respect you?"

Karvisko approached him

"They don't need to respect us, they only need to know that it benefits them. No matter how horrible it seems, I do what I do in service to my country."

Robin suddenly realized something

"You've bought your own con haven't you?" Robin asked "You actually think that killing innocent people, people in your own nation who've done nothing to you, is the best course of action."

"And what would you know about serving the people?" Karvisko asked back "You're just a child."

"I may be young, but I took an oath. Much like must of done when you joined the military." Robin explained, releasing his hand from his rib. "Before I took the oath though I had to pass a test. I was asked by my mentor to kill a theif who had mugged and robbed a woman just minutes before. I didn't think he could be so cruel, so I refused and simply captured him."

"Then you're just a bad soldier." Karvisko said before kicking him away

Robin got back up to his knees and tried to steady himself

"My mentor thanked me you idiot. It was a test, to see if I could control myself. To see if I wouldn't take it too far. I didn't have any reason to kill that theif, no matter how bad I thought he was. He didn't deserve to die by my hands or anyone elses. Taking justice in to my own hands was going too far. It wouldn't be fair for me to play judge, jury and executioner. I needed to let the people decide."

Karvisko kicked Robin once more

"That reasoning won't get you far in my profession child." Karvisko told him "In my line of reasoning I decide everyone's fate. That is how our system used to work. It was efficent, easy, simple. It was not complicated or bogged down. We and we alone decided what was right. That is how it works. That pathetic test you were given is a relic. It no longer matters in this word. Only people with power can decide who deserves to decide the fate of millions. And when I am in power I will make the people understand what it is they want and I shall give it to them."

"Because you're better then them huh?" Robin asked "No one will challenge you when you're in power cause you'll be better then everyone else. Some mutants are more equal then others huh?"

"It doesn't matter what you think," Karvisko told him "you aren't in charge. Mutentica will rise again under my leadership. Too bad you won't see it."

Karvisko punched Robin across the roof once again

"I'll waste you and everyone like you," Karvisko said as he walked over to Robin "before I let any power rival Mutentica's again. Its my duty."

Robin weakily began to stand up, still not admiting defeat.

"You don't know the meaning of the word." Robin told him sternly

"Face it Robin," Karvisko said, unwavered "you can't win."

"Then I'll die upholding that oath I took." Robin said looking straight at the General "To serve the innocent and protect them from people like you."

"Why won't you just give up?" Karvisko asked

"You first." Robin said back

Karviko's eyes shaped themselves into slits and he rose his fist to deliver an attack. As his fist began to approach Robin he felt something tug at his tail. Then he was lifted into the air and soon hit the ground hard with a thud. Robin seemd to weaken in the knees but wa scaught by his saviour before he could collapse. He looked up into the fac eof Starfire.

"Thanks for the save Starfire." Robin said smiling

"I only wish I could of come sooner." Starfire said "I am sorry I could not come to your aid in time."

"Relax, I'm fine." Robin said standing up "I just needed to rest for a second. Where's X?"

They looked over to the heli pad and saw X waving the suitcase around.

"Hey guys!" He shouted over "Found what we came here for!"

Suddenly a whirling sound was heard and up from below the edge of the building behind X came Cockroach's helicopter.

"Well this blows." X said angirly unde rhis throat.

X dived out of the way of the approaching bullets. Robin and Starfire retreated to his position.

"How do we take this guys out!" X yelled over the bullets flying at them from behind their cover

"I cannot get a clear shot from behind here." Starfire said

"And I just ran out of explosive disk during Karvisko's attack." Robin added

"Well I can't do anything without my belk!" X answered "So whats the plan?"

Suddenly the door to the inside of the building they had come through earlier burst open and out stepped Recon with his gun drawn. He rushed past the bullets aiming for him and made it a nearby wall near the other three's position.

"Got the bomb?" Recon asked

X waved iut in front of him

"Good," He said "try and disable it." He cocked his gun and looked at the chooper in front of them "The cockroach is mine."

Ryan had lay Raven down on the side of Roof's ledge. She was propped up against it like a rag doll, she wasn't moving. Her breathing was the only way Ryan and Beastboy knew she was alive. As soon as Ryan left her side, Beastboy pulled the unconcious Raven into a hug.

"I'm sorry Rae," He said as tears ran down his face "I was suppose to protect. I promised I wouldn't let that freak hurt you and I did. I messed up, just like always do." Beastboy was now rambling "Please don't leave me Raven, you said you didn't want to leave again. I want to tell you what I meant by all that. I don't want you to leave again, because I felt so useless the last time. I couldn't save you, I couldn't stop your father, I couldn't help you stop him, I couldn't help anyone, especially not you. And now its happening again. Please don't go Raven, please."

Ryan eased him away from the girl

"Calm yourself down kid!" He shouted "She isn't going to die! At least not while I'm here."

Ryan moved over to Raven and grabbed a small kit from inside his shorts. It was a medical kit, Beastboy could see by the red cross on it.

"When you're in the field you need to know this stuff." Ryan explained "Otherwise you'd be hurting for who knows how long."

"How is she?" Beastboy asked

"She seems to breathing normal," Ryan said "but I need to stabalize her before she gets worse."

Beastboy was more concerned over the fact that Raven wasn't healing herself. But how could she? She was just attacked, her body probably didn't even know what happened. Ryan however managed to fix that. He patched up the spots that Aleksander had cut open. Raven's chest was covered in bandages as well as her forehead.

"She should be fine for now." Ryan said as he closed up the kit "I wouldn't worry about her, she's a tough kid." Ryan looked over to Beastboy who had his head down

"You okay kid?" Ryan asked

"No," Beastboy said with a less weapy voice. "I just let one of my friends get hurt. I was right there and I couldn't even save her."

"It caught us both by surprise." Ryan assured "If anything I was closer, I should have been able to get to her first. Aleksander was just quicker."

That name rnag bells in Beastboy's ears. It wasn't his fault that Raven was hurt. It was that maniac back down in the pharmacy. and he was just going to keep coming back until Raven was really in trouble. He knew what he ahd to do

"I'm going back in" Said Beastboy

"I'll back you up." Ryan said rising to his feet

"No," Beastboy said sternly "you need to look after Raven. This is something I gotta do myself. I won't let someone hurt another person I care about and get away with it. Not this time. This time I'm doing something about it."

Ryan seemed to understand. He dropped back down to Raven's limped body

"Perhaps you were right last night kid," Ryan said as he watched Beastboy back away "we aren't really that different after all."

Beastboy nodded a slight smile. His face reverted back to a serious look and he raced back down the stairs to the pharmacy.

Aleksander lay in pile of broken blood vials. Blood was all over his body along with shards of glass. It should have been heaven, but Aleksander wasn't happy. Although he was covered in fresh human blood it wasn't the blood he had wanted. He almost had her this time, almost. Just a few more seconds and he could have drunk her dry. He hgad yet to taste her neck. He felt cheated none the less. He needed to find her soon, before she could get too far with her friends. She probably was back home by now. As he stood up to leave another vial hit him in the back. He turned around to see the familar looking green child that he saw once before and this time he looked mad.

"Back again?" Aleksander asked

"You hurt Raven." Beastboy said in a stern and authoritive voice

"So I did." Aleksander said "Where is she?"

"Safe from you." Beastboy responded. He approached Aleksander slowly.

"No place is safe from me boy." Aleksander assured Beastboy "I'll find your friend and I will finish her off."

"Not likely asshole." Beastboy responded "There's only one way out of this room and that's through me."

Aleksander laughed at this

"Last time, you had your friend to both distract me and back you up," Aleksander reminded him "what makes you think you can stand against me alone?"

"Cause this time," Beastboy began "I'm not going to hold anything back. When I fight I usually have to hold back my primal animal nature, to utilize my full strength and animal abilities. But you can take it, can't you? You know what that means don't ya?" Aleksander looked at Beastboy inquisitively "It means I'm going to cut loose. It means I'm going to stop worrying about hurting you. Instead I'm going focus on one thing only, delivering as much pain and agony to you as humanly possible."

"You don't have any chance against me shapeshifter." Aleksander mocked " Even with your powers the fact remains that you're still just a human."

"No," Beastboy paused "I'm an animal!"

Beastboy darted at Aleksander as a Leopard and pounced on him. The colonel kicked the green cat off of him and ran at him once more. But he Leopard had now become an akylosaurus and a tail swip sent the the mutant through a shelf of blood vials. He got up out of the dusty and was batted in the head by a charging bull. The hit knocked through yet another shelf of blood vials. Aleksander got up to his feet and now charging at him was a full grown mountain gorrila. It slapped him across the room and down the aisle by the shelf. Aleksander once again returned to his feet and felt the sting of claws scratch across his back. He screamed in agony as he looked back at a green Tiger with his paw still in the air. With in a instant that Tiger changed into a kangaroo. It stood upon its tail and whacked Aleksander into the wall nearby. Within seconds Aleksander opened his eyes to a oncoming Triceratops. It bashed into the wall and lifted Aleksander onto its head, then it swung its head back with a snap and forced the Mutnat into the air. This time however Aleksander was able to keep himself a float in the air with his own wings. He turned to see where Beastboy was and had a speeding falcon ram right into his face slashing him across the temple. Aleksander ecovered quickly and grabbed the falcon by its foot as it tried to keep on going. He threw the bird down to the ground, but it morphed into a cat and landed on its feet. Aleksander dove for the green kitten, but his head hit something hard instead, the shell of a giant tortise. The colonel fell back on his feet and held his head in anger. Cursing in sheer hatred at Beastboy. He would not let this Green freak of an American beat him. As soon as He stopped his fit of rage he opened his eyes and was met with a fist of a giant Gorilla. He swaggered back after that and tried to maintain his composure. The gorilla leapt up in the air and changed into a Crocodile. The open mouth of preadator began to fall down onto him. Aleksander caught the reptile by its open jaw and smacked it against the shelf. This did little to phase the creature who turned back around and smacked Aleksander with his tail. Aleksander himself slammed into the opposing shelf. He noticed a few vials nearby and grabbed them. He uncorked the top and drunk the liquids down. As he did this he backed away into the darkness of the room. Beastboy changed back into himself and started looking around the area, he went into the next aisle and started serveying the area for Aleksander, for any sign of the bloodthirsty maniac. Suddenly Beastboy heard a laugh and Then Aleksander's voice.

"You're good American," He said from nowhere and everywhere it seemed "but you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into. You forget that I am no ordinary crinimal or mad man. Here there be monsters!"

Beastboy looked up and saw the falling form of Aleksander with his fans bared. Beastboy changed into a Gorilla and held up his arm. Aleksander bit hard into the ape's flesh. It wasn't enough to penetrate it, but it still hurt like hell. It didn't mattyer though, Beastboy had him where he wanted him. The Gorilla grabbed the Colonel with its free arm and tore him away from where his fangs penetrated. Beastboy then grabbed his face and with his primate strength slammed him into the ground. The gorilla now lifted him up into the air and threw him across the room. As wolf now Beastboy ran at the still standing Mutant and bit hard into his left wing. The Mutant screamed in pain as the tendons that held his wing together broke. He kicked the dog off of his wing and pounced upon him. As he did Beastboy changed into a Raptor and slashed him across the face with his foot claw. The colonel yelled in pain and smacked against the shelf of vials nearby. When he lifted his head up he saw a much bigger claw then that of a Raptor. He looked up further and saw the foot belonged to a T-Rex. Towering over him. The beast grabbed the Colonel in his mouth and a bit down just enough to make him scream in pain. The giant dinosaur slammed the Mutant into a wall and then lifted him up into the air once more. He flung him to the back of the room and into yet another wall. As Aleksander began to get his barings as the dust settled, a fist wrapped arounf his neck. Once again it was the gorrila, preparing to make his final strike. His fist was raised aiming for Aleksander's head. Beastboy only needed to plunge that fist straight into Aleksander's head and kill him. The mutant seemd to chuckle at this.

"Do it!" Aleksander dared him

The gorilla just breathed heavily

"Come on do it American."

The gorilla continued to look at him with rage

"Be a man." Aleksander continued to taunt "Give into the monster inside just like I did."

Beastboy just looked at Aleksander, the last thing he said touched a cord. He could kill Aleksander now and avenge Raven for what he did to her. He could use his full power on him and destroy him. But could live with himself afterwards? This mutant was evil to be sure, but he didn't deserve to die. Death was too good for him anyway. What would his teamates think if they found out he killed someone. What would Raven think? Raven told him that she couldn't kill Terra because she never could have lived with herself afterwards, how would she react to know that he had done the opposite when placed in the same situation as her years before? Killing Aleksander would only make him feel better. It would stop him from targeting Raven but it wouldn't help her knowing that her friend killed someone. He didn't kill people, not even this monster. Beastboy changed back into himself with his fist still on Aleksander's throat.

"I'm not a monster," He said "and I'm not a killer. I'm not like you. You let your beast take control. I didn't, I took control of mine. I kept my humanity."

"That word isn't even in my dictionary." Aleksander said

"Then you really are lost." Beastboy said as he dropped the Colonel.

Mutant lay on the ground and began to breathe heavily. Beastboy began to walk away from him, but he turned around just in time to see Aleksander pull out a knife and rush him. Beastboy changed back into his Gorilla form and delivered an uppercut that sent Aleksander flying through the ceiling. Beastboy followed as a bird and up through the hole that led to the roof. There Ryan looked dumbfounded at a sprawled out Aleksander as he began to get up. In a fit of rage the dinosaur charged at Ryan. The Raptor grabbed the colonel by his wrists, twriled him around to where he was near Raven and led him over to the ledge of the building that she was leaning on. Aleksander toppled over first and Ryan followed. Beastboy was shocked at this and flew over as fast as he could. As Ryan and Aleksander fell, Ryan kept on top of them as they approached the bottom of the five story building.

"It ain't the fall that gets ya!" Aleksander said

They suddenly hit the ground with Ryan sprawled out on top of the Colonel. The mutant had broken his fall and took the brunt of the impact instead. Ryan didn't think he was breathing.

"Its the sudden stop at the end." sais Ryan completing the sentence that Aleksander had started. He got up and began to walk away when he heard Beastboy shout from the roof.

"Behind you!"

Ryan turned around and saw that Aleksander had gotten back up and baring his fangs at Ryan. The Raptor pulled out his knife.

"Taste your own blood for a change!" Ryan shouted

He stuck the knife up through Aleksander's lower jaw. The mutant coughed up his blood, shallowed it, staggered backwards and fell over...dead. After a few seconds, Ryan came back up onto the roof. Beastboy looked back at him.

"You killed him huh?" Beastboy asked, knowing the answer.

"Yeah, I did." Ryan answered in quiet and reserved tone.

"Why aren't you celebrating or something?" Beastboy asked

"I don't feel like it." Ryan responded "Good work kid."

"I didn't finish him off," Beastboy said astonished at Ryan's comment "you did."

"He was pretty banged up before I got him." Ryan explained "I can only asume you had a chance to kill him yourself but didn't."

"Yeah, I did have a chance." Beastboy acknowledged

"That's what I meant by good job kid." Ryan explained "You beat him, not me. You kicked his ass to kingdom come, I just finished him off.

Beastboy didn't understand why Ryan was congratualting him stil

"You said you didn't kill people remember," Ryan reminded him "and even when you could with all the justifiable reasons you didn't. You kept to your beliefs. Just like I did. And that is an important quality in someone."

"Thanks Ryan." Said Beastboy

"Come on," The Raptor said "let's get your friend out of here."

Ryan went over to pick up Raven, but before he could Beastboy picked her up himself. He walked on over to the stairs supporting Raven's head in his arms.

"He won't ever hurt you again Raven." Beastboy whispered as he desdended with Ryan behind him "And no one else will. Not while I'm around."

Recon fired several shots on the chopper as it started to chase after him across the rooftop. Red X and Robin in the meantime had opened the suitcase and were looking at the bomb. The warhead and Xynothium core were both attached to a detonator of somesorts. The way it was plugged in seemed to mean that core would be tripped along with the sudden explosion of the warhead.

"We need to be careful," Robin warned "if we pull the core out too fast we might trip it accidentally and cause an explosion."

"You think I don't know that?" X retorted "Who uses the belt more anyway?"

Robin just sigh and looked back to Starfire who was peering over at Recon.

"Hows the captain doing Star?" Robin asked

Starfire watched as Recon fired another volley of bullet at the chopper and continued to lead it away from them.

"He is holding strong for now." Starfire responded

Robin looked at the detonator and the wires connecting it too the nuke and the core.

"Okay, first we got to unhook the core from the detonator." Robin informed "Then its just a matter of removing it from bomb infastructe around the nuke."

"We do that how exactly?" X asked

Robin cut the wire connecting the core to the detonator. He then began to slowly remove the core from the warhead.

"Easy," Robin said to himself "easy..."

Recon rushed across the rooftop away from the straying bullets of the helicopter. He knew he needed a better weapon then his gun if he wanted to succeed in stopping the chopper from killing him. He suddenly realized that he had run out of roof. He looked down at the street below and gulped.

"Well this just sucks." He said to himself

Then he heard a voice shout down to him from a few meters away on the top of adjacent building.

"Hey Captain!" Shouted what appeared to be Sargeant Rack "We grabbed something for ya!"

Cyborg stepped in front and waved what appeared to be an RPG in the air. Suddenly the chopper returned and shot at Recon with it gun. The captain rolled out of the way as the chooper passed over him and down on the other side of the building. Recon looked back at his fellow soldiers on the other roof.

"How am I suppose use that when its all the way over there?" Asked Recon at the top of his voice

"Don't worry." Cyborg assured "Its just like the javellin throw in track. Used to play that during the football's off season."

Cyborg took a few steps back and threw the RPG like a spear. It was still a rather heavy weapon and it barely made it across. Recon ducked down as it passed near him and he grabbed the shouldher strap before it could fall off the edge. He picked it up and was about to thank the others for giving him the weapon, when the chopper came up from the street and stared him in the face. Cockroach looked back at the Captain in joyful glee. His hand was finger was on the trigger and Recon was in his sights.

"Das Verdanya..." Cockroach muttered "...Comrade."

Cockroach pressed the button. The missile in on the left wing fired out and impacted with the edge Recon was on. The building seemed to crumble as the explosion hit. Debris flew everywhere and rubble fell to the street. Cockroach smiled at the thought that he had killed his foe. But as the smoke cleared he saw a figure of a Raptor lying down on the ground, a few feet away from the initial crater the explosion had caused. Recon had leapt back from the edge just in time and landed on his back...with the RPG aimed right at Cockroach.

"Say hello to my little friend ya fucking cockroach." Recon retorted

The RPG fired and the missile hit the blades of the chopper. The aircraft began to spin out of control and crashed out of sight in a nearby building. Flames leapt from the twisted metal of the falling vehicle and the hulk of what was left collapsed onto the ground. Recon got up and looked over the side at the sight.

"You fool!" shouted a voice from behind

Recon turned to see it was Karvisko, angry as ever.

"You destroyed my only escape!" He shouted

"Too bad, puts a kink in your plans huh?" Recon smiled back

Karvisko was not amused

"I don't care anymore." He said pulling out a small trigger from his pocket "Time for plan B."

Karvisko pressed the trigger.

"What did you do?" Recon asked sternly

"I've activated the bomb by remote." Karvisko said "In less then a minute this entire city will be vaporized off the face of the earth."

"But you'll be destroyed along with your men!" Recon shouted back in disbelief

"Then we shall die as martyrs!" Karvisko shouted to the Heavens "Long live the Revolution!"

Suddenly a gooey X spit out of nowwhere and impacted on Karvisko tying him to the ground. Recon looked over to where the shot had originated and saw Red X with his hand extenended and Robin and Starfire nearby with the case in hand.

"I'm back baby!" Red X said with glee as he made a strong man pose

"No time to celebrate." said Recon "You heard Karvisko, we're running out of time

"I've managed to get the Xynothium out of the bomb," Robin said "but the nuke is still active. I can't shut the timer off either."

"What about the blast?" Recon asked

"If we can get it far away enough from the city we won't have to worry about the explosion." Robin explained

"The ocean is too far," said Recon thinking quickly "what about the sky?"

"I believe I can manage that." Said Starfire grabbing the suitcase and flying upwards.

"Starfire wait!" Robin called

"There no time to argue!" Recon shouted back at Robin

Starfire bolted up into the sky, less then 30 seconds to go. She slung the the bomb straight up into the air and bolted for the ground. She landed back on the rooftop and called over to everyone.

"Cover your ears!" She said

They did as they were told, a few seconds later the bomb went off. A huge explosion went off over Jump City. Making it seem like there was a second sun in the early dawn sky. the noise shook the very building below it. When the light had receeded everyone opened thier eyes. Robin looked to see where Red X was. He had dissapeered with the Xynothium core. Typical X. Didn't even hang around to recieve a thank you. They all then looked up and saw the large dust cloud that had been created by the explosion along with the rising sun in the distance.

"Well thats one way to start the day huh guys?" Recon said smiling

They could all brethe a sigh of relief, it was over.

* * *

I hope it doesn't seem rushed to you guys, I just really want to finish this. Epilogue next chapter. 


	17. Epilogue

Time to finish this off, final chapter and stuff. Lets find out if Raven is okay and what the Raptors will do now that crisis is over.

* * *

Epilogue

"An explosion rocked the skies over Jump City this afternoon. Officials say that the red Path mutants had made a desperate last stand in the center of the city and had detonated an atomic device. Thankfully, the Teen Titans were able to stop the terrorists and flew the bomb high enough for the explosion to go off and any nuclear fallout from it the explosion to disapate before it could reach the ground. The leader of the rogue military group, General Karvisko, has been captured and is being escorted back to Mutentica to stand trial for treason and conspiracy to commit crinimal and terrorist acts upon the Mutentican government. Also the army has revealed that a top ranking US Naval officer, Admiral Ermquist, leaked vital information about an experimental nuclear submarine docked in the military base near Jump City to the terrorists prior to their invasion. He was detained by military police in his home earlier today."

Recon turned off the news broadcast and turned to robin who was sitting on the Titan's couch.

"So you were right about the Mutants using an inside man." Robin commented

Recon nodded

"Turns out Ermquist wanted to prove that America was still vulnerable to attack." Recon explained "He gave the information to Karvisko along with several passcodes for US international airline computers so he could disguise the invasion force. Knowing that when Karvisko invaded he could convince the Pentagon to boost its military budget."

"So much for that huh?" Robin said standing up

He looked around at the packing up Raptors who dragging the military equipment out of the tower and back to the choppers on the roof. One by one each chopper left with more Raptors back to the carrier. Starfire was busy hugging the Turaguts goodbye and giving them some Glork for their long journey home, whicvh the eagerly accepted.

"Leaving so soon?" Robin turned back to Recon

"Crisis is over kid." Recon said "We did our job and now its time to head on back. I thought you'd be happy, since it means Ryan's leaving too."

Robin couldn't deny he was happy. They beat the bad guys and saved the day once again, but he couldn't deny he was going to miss the Raptors anyway. He'd grown used to them in the past two days.

"So where you headed now?" Asked Robin

"Back to Raptoria of course." Recon said "We all need some R&R after these last two grueling days."

"I guess this is goodbye then huh?" Robin said extending his hand

"For now." Recon said accepting it and shaking it. "Then again you never know when we might call for your services."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked

"Well you and your team managed to hold up pretty well during these two days. I don't think we could have managed as well without you." Recon explained "For a bunch of teenage superheroes, you're pretty damn good. I'm surprised you never considered to be soldiers in the army."

"Not really our kind of dream job." robin said

"Well let me just say that if we ever get into trouble, I know exactly who to call." Recon saluted Robin and Robin saluted back. Recon looked over to the Turaguts. "Soldiers! Move out!"

Roger hugged Starfire.

"I'm gonna miss you Star." He said sadly "Especially your cooking."

"Never fear friend," Starfire said "I have prepared this small gift for you." Starfire passed a little red book to Roger "It is a list of recipes from my home planet. Hopefully it will keep your stomach full for many weeks on end."

"I'll cherise it forever." Roger said snuggling the book as if it were the best thing that ever happened to him

"Okay fine," Reige said "just don't give us another hug. I think my neck crakced somewhere."

"Come on guys," Rack said moving his gun towards the door "we have to go."

"Bye Starfire." Called back Snipe as he and his brothers left

"See ya!" Roger said

"Goodbye friends!" Starfire waved as they left the room "Although your cirsumstances for being here were only because we were invaded by your enemies and the last two days were extremely dangerous to all of us, it was still nice to meet you!"

Raven's eyes opened slowly, she found herself lying in the medical bay with the sheets pulled over her. She turned her head and saw Beastboy and Cyborg there.

"Hey girl. "Cyborg said looking away from the chart in his hands "How are you?"

"What happened?" Raven asked

"Robin and Starfire stopped the bomb and caight Karvisko." Beastboy informed

"And Sergey's being sent back with his boss to stand trial." Cyborg said proudly

"The Raptors are leaving to." Beastboy added

"What about Aleksander?" Raven asked, suddenly remembering who must of sent her to the hospital bed.

"Dead." Came a voice from the door. Raven turned to see that it was Ryan "My fault with that actually. Although Green Kid here could have done it himself. Chose not to though."

"He won't come after you again Raven." Assured Beastboy

Raven smiled at Beastboy

"Good to hear." Raven turned back to Ryan "So you're leaving?"

"Fraid so kid." Ryan answered "I have a lot of vacation time to catch up on." Ryan began to exit the room but before he did he turned back and looked back at Raven "Get well soon kid, world needs all the heroes it can get while I'm off. Oh and..." The rapter paused for a moment considering his words "thanks for the help."

Ryan exited the room. Cyborg was left confused

"What just happened?" Cyborg asked

"Its a long story." Raven told him "So how am I?"

"Good," Cyborg said "you've healed up nicely. Those healing powers work like a charm. I barely have to do any of the work. I better go tell the others you're up. You staying BB?"

Beastboy nodded

"Yeah, me and Rae have to talk about somethings."

"Sure. See ya later." Cyborg said exiting the room

When he had left Raven turned to Beastboy

"I heard what you said on the rooftop Beastboy." Raven told him "I wasn't concious but my mind could pick it up as you were thinking."

Beastboy seemed to blush at this and scracthed the back of his head

"Well...you see...I can explain..."

Raven put a finger to his lips and hushed him

"You didn't mess up." Raven told him

"Huh?" Beastboy asked

"What happened back with Aleksander wasn't your fault." Raven explained "And niether was what happened with my father."

"Well maybe the first one is right," Beastboy admited "but how can you say the same about the second? It was Robin who went down and saved you. I didn't do a single thing at all. All I contributed was that stinking penny, so much for that 'lucky'piece of junk."

"I don't think its junk." Raven told him "In fact I still have it."

Raven reached into the clapse of her belt and pulled out that very same penny Beastboy had given her that day.

"How...? What...? Why...?" Beastboy asked in disbelief at the sight of the object

"I held onto it as long as I could before the time came." Raven explained "And a few days after I went back for it. I'm surprised it survived the destruction from that day. Its been taped into the inside of belt ever since."

"But its not even lucky, it didn't even help." Beastboy said

"Wrong," Raven explained "even though I knew I couldn't stop what was going to happen I held onto it. I couldn't let it go. It reminded of all the good things that happened before that horrible day. It gave me hope that I would one day see you all again. And most importantly..." Raven stopped suddenly.

"What?" Beastboy asked

"Read my mind." Raven said

Beastboy decided to do that very thing and focused upon Raven's mind. A mesage formed inside his head.

"_It reminded me of you Beastboy._"

Beastboy's green skin seemed to turn bright red.

"Oh...I see."

"I was able to know that even in the worst hour of my life," Raven said "in the worst moment I had ever gone through, even though you knew that I was going to destroy the world, you still believed that I could win and you still believed that I was good."

"So I wasn't a mess up?" Beastboy asked

"If it wasn't for you and everyone elses faith in me I never would have defeated my father." Raven explained "And you stood by my side in this situation as well. You helped me beat Aleksander and help Ryan. Thank you Beastboy, for being there for me."

"Your welcome Raven." Beastboy pulled Raven into a hug this time, wrapping his arms around her "And thanks for not leaving me either."

Raven returned the embrace

"I'm not going anywhere."

As the image of Jump City faded into the distance Ryan looked back at the tower where he had left the two teenager that had helped him. They had shown him he wasn't alone in his battle for justice. Plenty of people stood for what he stood. Beastboy and Raven were just two of those people.

"Cute couple those two," Ryan thought "wonder what their kids will look like."

Ryan shook the thought out of his mind, they weren't that close...were they? Well it wasn't his place to meddle in their affairs. As he wondered where he could take a well deserved vacation in Raptoria, his thoughts lingered to the Titans. He had a feeling that he hadn't seen the last of those heroes. He began to sing a tune in his mind.

"_We'll meet again,_

_Don't know where,_

_Don't know when,_

_But I know we'll meet again_

_Some sunny day!_"

Ryan walked into his quarters and shut the door.

* * *

Well I enjoyed doing a slightly more serious story for you guys, but now I'm going back to mindless comedy and stupidity with my parodies. Please read and review if you want. Maybe one day I'll do a sequel, but not bloody likely at the moment. Read and Review. 


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